Nova Scotia Health Minister Leo Glavine is defending his government’s record for improving health care.
It comes about after criticisms from a former provincial health minister.
Glavine says they have awarded the contract for the expansion of the Dartmouth General's fifth floor, though the project, which could take five years, is already two years behind schedule.
“When we came into office there was no planning at that stage,” says Glavine.
But Nova Scotia's former NDP health minister Maureen MacDonald says that's not the case.
“He's had a plan on his desk for two years that he hasn't acted on,” says MacDonald.
The government says the work at the Dartmouth General will alleviate pressure on the system created by ongoing failures at the Victoria General's Centennial Building in Halifax.
Significant flooding affected three floors when a pipe burst three weeks ago.
“I know that there is now a stronger sense of urgency to get the work, you know, moving,” says Glavine.
The opposition says the work at the Dartmouth General is not enough.
MacDonald is also calling for an expansion at the Halifax Infirmary.
“If you're going to decommission the Centennial Building and have those beds there, and the surgical capacity taken up, it needs to go somewhere,” says MacDonald.
There are still questions about exactly how long the centennial building will remain in use.
“We know that it will be decommissioned, but we also know that we're opening up the ninth floor there. Ten beds were added this week,” says Glavine.
The opposition acknowledges these things take time, but they say not this much time.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell
