City council will be meeting with the NRHA and Diagnostics Services Manitoba (DSM) to discuss the needs for an MRI in Thompson.

In a letter presented to council at Monday night’s meeting, Manitoba’s Minister of Health Sharon Blady wrote that Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors (MHHLS) would be willing to review proposals for an MRI and radiation therapy unit.

Blady was responding to a letter from the Mayor’s office which lobbied for a radiation facility in Thompson.

Council also plans to discuss the construction start date of the Thompson Chemotherapy Unit expansion at this time. The project was confirmed by Blady back in May, but a start date for construction has been pending

Another issue that came up at Monday's meeting was disputed ambulance bills.

When former MLA Theresa Oswald was Health Minister she told the City that the province would cover any disputed ambulance bills. But a recent letter from current  Minister Blady suggested that the previous agreement was a one-time commitment to assist the City with a backlog of disputed bills.  

Mayor Dennis Fenske said he will be reminding Minister Blady that the previous Minister promised the City would not get caught in the middle of a dispute between the province and federal government.  He says there is an outstanding agreement to pay the bills in a timely matter.