Sunrise Health Region was given a glimpse of a list of 12 health spending priorities for the Saskatchewan government, and new hospitals for this area were not included.
"Yorkton is not on the list of 12. Moose Jaw is," noted Sunrise Health Board member Gord Gendur at the regular September meeting held last Wednesday.
Board chair Lawrence Chomos assured the Region's Master Plan has been submitted to the province.
"The Minister (of Health) is aware there is a need," he said, adding it is up to the province how "it feeds the Master Capital Plan into their provincial plan."
When a new hospital for Yorkton, Canora or Esterhazy might be financed remains an unknown, said Chomos.
"Nobody has a crystal ball," he said, adding locally all that can be done is work toward raising the local portion of funding.
That said, Chomos added "we know it's on the radar."
Chomos did note he wished the provincial funding process was "a slightly more transparent process," so that local regions would have a better idea when projects might move forward. He said as a Board it is worrisome to plan for the unknown.
"To do a feasibility study is a rather expensive proposition," he said, adding " years lapse and then you need another one."
Region president and CEO Suann Laurent said the best they can do is "be politely persistent" with the government regarding the local needs.
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