A group in St. Stephen, N.B., that's proven to be quite vocal about the direction of their local hospital says the province and the health authority are leaving them with unanswered questions about the future of the facility.
The operating room is still open at the hospital, but with limited capabilities. It’s been a focus of the community since July 2016.
Concerned Citizens of Charlotte County is pushing for local authority over the hospital.
“It would be an independent board just like it was before and they would send in their bills to be paid at Horizon,” said Trudy Higgins of the group. “But they would look after the hiring and all the administration of the hospital, which is what had happened before the regionalization of hospitals.”
In a statement on Saturday, Health Minister Victor Boudreau says the community should have confidence with the development of a new clinic within the hospital. Boudreau says it will provide primary care.
The group says it hasn't been able to receive any further information about the clinic, or what it may mean for the hospital going forward.
“We really don’t know and the clinic has yet to be open and we’re not sure if it will be open the end of this month or the first of February,” Higgins said.
Some members of the group say they've been accused of fear-mongering in the community.
"I don’t think it's wrong for any citizen to ask questions,” said resident Sandra Cormier. “I don’t think it’s wrong for any citizen to demand answers from our government representatives. They work for us.”
The group says other rural areas of New Brunswick have contacted them, concerned about hospital services in their area.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.
