After an exhaustive debate Monday afternoon, Windsor city council agreed to pay its share of funding for the new mega-hospital proposed to be built on a rural lot near the airport.

Details about how the city will divide up the $200-million cost with Essex County won't be hammered out until late winter or early spring, but proponents of the project celebrated the decision they can use to further solidify provincial funding.

"Agreeing to come up with the cash is integral to ensuring the provincial government comes through with its portion of funding for the $2-billion mega-hospital," said Windsor Regional Hospital CEO David Musyj.

Residents came out to protest the decision Monday after the discussion item was put on the agenda late last week.

Most delegates continued to criticize the selected location of the site, saying a massive hospital at the southeast corner of County Road 42 and Concession Road 9 will only lead to urban sprawl.

Several people, including the spokesperson for Citizens for an Accountable Mega-Hospital Planning Process, asked council to defer its decision on the new hospital funding.

"I really don't believe council is in a position to support the hospital plan that's being proposed," said the group's spokeswoman, Philippa von Ziegenweidt.

Putting the hospital levy item on the agenda late last week prompted Coun. Chris Holt to slam the decision on social media, saying it was slipped into the agenda at the last minute.

"I am so dismayed to report that the topic has been slipped into what could arguably be the most busy council meeting of the year," he wrote in an impassioned post. "If a project has value, if it adds to the welfare of the general public, why try to hide it within the busiest council meeting of the year?"

Musyj took full responsibility for the late addition to the agenda. He told council he originally wanted to have the item come up in the new year, but decided last-minute to get it on the agenda as part of overall budget talks.