The province’s opposition parties say they are left with more questions than answers surrounding the new ambulatory care hub, to be established at the old Costco building in St. John’s.

PC Health Critic Barry Petten says on the surface it is a good announcement, believing that it will help take some pressure off acute care centres.

That said, Petten says he has many unanswered questions related to staffing, the equipment needed, and the location.

He wonders if there are any provincially-owned buildings that could have been used instead. As well, he believes such a facility would be better suited for the Paradise/CBS area as it is in “dire” need of healthcare services.

NDP Leader Jim Dinn, meanwhile, says for the most part, people who avail of ambulatory services do so at the request of their primary care provider.

He questions how the new hub will help people without a family doctor, how it will impact wait times, and how it will be staffed.

He says simply leasing space without ensuring appropriate staffing is a “limited” and “short sighted” approach, and he can’t see how it is going to help people.