The 1st step in the process to choose a site for a new south Niagara is set for Friday morning.

Regional Chair Gary Burroughs will welcome mayors from Niagara Falls, Welland, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Pelham & Wainfleet in his office.

A new hospital for the south is the key recommendation from the supervisor to the Niagara Health System in his report on improving healthcare delivery in the region released last week.

Dr Kevin Smith left figuring out where the hospital should go up to the mayors of south Niagara.  They also have to decide where to put a separate, free-standing urgent care centre.

Burroughs expects getting to consensus to take at least 2-3 meetings, if the mayors get there at all.  He says individual community interests could stand in the way & that places like Niagara Falls, Welland, Port Colborne & Fort Erie are "giving up a lot" to agree to common site.

Though Burroughs says he'll develop an opinion as the process moves along, he sees the choosing as the job of the mayors & his role as more of a facilitator.

During Friday's meeting, Burroughs expects to lay down ground rules & success benchmarks & figure out what resources the mayors need in their decision-making process that the Region can provide.

Burroughs says the mayors will have to move fast.  Dr Kevin Smith expects to submit a final report to Ontario's Health Minister in mid-June.