A Lacombe County council meeting Thursday morning sparked a conversation between councillors about where to draw the line on funding health care.

Council’s decision to deny funding to a clinic in Sylvan Lake was based on the concern that it is difficult to decide which medical facility is the most appropriate to receive tax dollars.

Susan Samson, chair of the Sylvan Lake Urgent Care Committee, requested funding for a $45,000 Ultrasound System and a $21,000 patient monitor. This equipment would be used by medical professionals at the Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Centre.

“It is incredibly hard when you have a facility like that to get the funding that you need for all the equipment,” said Coun. Barb Shepherd.

Shepherd explained that although the reason behind the request was very important, she does not believe it’s the municipality’s job to fund health care.

“At the same time I say for the municipal governments, it is not their area of funding responsibility, it is the province’s responsibility and I think we have to make sure that the province is responsible and stays responsible for that type of funding,” she said.

She also suggests it is opening up a “new can of worms.”

“Once you fund for one facility then would it not stand to reason that other facilities would say, that they funded Sylvan, we need to go talk to them and see if they will fund us.”