MRHA to host public forum on the future of local healthcare amid growing demand
Michel G. Vermette, Chair of the Allied Boards, and Brad Harrington, President and Chief Executive Officer of MRHA – Submitted images
Residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the challenges, opportunities and financial realities shaping the future of healthcare in the region as the Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) hosts a public forum later this month.
MRHA is a regional healthcare alliance that includes Almonte General Hospital (AGH), Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH), Fairview Manor and the Lanark County Paramedic Service (LCPS).
The event, titled “State of Healthcare in Our Region: Caring for a Growing Community – The Financial Reality of Local Healthcare,” will take place on Tuesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the Octagon Room at AGH and is open to the public.
In a release issued on Thursday, June 11, 2026, MRHA officials say the forum is intended to provide residents with a clearer understanding of how population growth, increasing demand for services and healthcare, and funding pressures are impacting local hospitals and healthcare providers.
The forum comes at an apt time when many communities across Eastern Ontario are grappling with growing populations, aging demographics and increasing pressure on hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency departments and other community healthcare services.
According to MRHA, the public session will highlight what their organization has accomplished in recent years while also identifying the financial and operational challenges still facing healthcare organizations across the Lanark region.
The presentation will feature Michel G. Vermette, Chair of the Allied Boards, and Brad Harrington, President and Chief Executive Officer of MRHA. The two representatives will jointly discuss key issues affecting healthcare delivery throughout the region, specifically the impact of living in one of Ontario’s fastest-growing areas.
“Together, they will share what the organization has accomplished, the financial realities facing
local healthcare, what MRHA is navigating as a growing health system,” the organization continued, “and the importance of sustaining local healthcare for future generations.”
Following the public forum, MRHA will then hold the annual meetings of both the AGH Corporation and the CPDMH Corporation.
Healthcare officials are encouraging community members to attend, ask questions and learn more about the challenges and opportunities the MRHA faces as they continue to grow.