CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES TO CLOSE ONTARIO STREET LOCATION

A NEW, PLASMA-ONLY SITE, WILL OPEN NEAR THE HOSPITAL IN

St. Catharines residents looking to donate blood may have to go as far as Burlington and Ancaster at the end of February.

Canadian Blood Services has made the decision to close the St. Catharines clinic at 395-397 Ontario St., in exchange for a new plasma donation centre that will open in the spring at 420 Vansickle Rd.

In an emailed statement to Niagara This Week, communications specialist Agnese Caruso said donated plasma will be made into life-saving medications for patients, many of whom have no other treatment options.

"There is a global shortage of these medications and plasma needed to make them, as these medications are in demand for a growing number of conditions," the statement reads. "That's why we're increasing the amount of plasma we collect in Canada. We've already opened five plasma donor centres since 2020 and we have plans to open six more by 2024."

Canadian Blood Services

hopes many of the people who currently donate blood will visit the new clinics to donate plasma.

For those looking to donate blood, they will have to go to the Burlington and Ancaster donor centres.

Canadian Blood Services said there will still be mobile events in neighbouring communities, and events for O-negative and rare blood donors in the St. Catharines area will still be held.

"This change will not impact local patients," the statement said.

"Canadian Blood Services operates a national blood system, which means local health centres and those across the country will continue to receive blood and blood products as they do today."