As promised in December, Deputy Mayor Rick Milne brought up the topic at the Jan. 8 committee meeting. The hospital's birthing unit closed Dec. 15, and the decision angered many residents.

Milne wrote that New Tecumseth is "poised for significant growth over the next 25 years" and said health care is a key factor in the decision of businesses and residents to move to a community.

Ward 5 (Tottenham) Coun. Jim Stone said residents have rights to health care in the province.

"One of those rights is birthing services and I think probably the province isn't supporting the hospital," said Stone.

Council agreed the hospital should offer labour and delivery services in the community and officially appointed Mayor Mike MacEachern to sit on the new committee researching how to reopen the unit.

In other council news:

-Council will get an update of the town's emergency response plan, now that Tottenham Road has officially closed from Albert Street to Industrial Parkway. Fire Chief Dan Heydon will bring the information to a future meeting, so council knows how residents in the east end of town will be rescued during an emergency.