Kevin Bissett, THE CANADIAN PRESS

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FREDERICTON - The head of Canadian Blood Services says he stands behind a plan to move the agency's production and distribution facility from Saint John, N.B., to Nova Scotia.

Dr. Graham Sher and other officials of the blood collection agency met this week with members of a New Brunswick legislature task force that's been mandated to save the Saint John facility and 17 full-time jobs.

"We believe our business case is sound and it makes sense to build our production site where we are proposing," he told reporters Tuesday.

"But what we are committed to is finding all the solutions that will work for the clinical community in New Brunswick, so that not just the physicians, but the patients get the product when they need it and where they need it."

He said the agency will examine a number of options, including the creation of blood depots in locations throughout the region to ensure blood is available quickly to all hospitals.

"One of the reasons one would consider a depot is that it will shorten the distance for emergency runs," he said.

The agency announced in March that it would open a production and distribution facility in Dartmouth, N.S., and would replace the permanent blood donor clinics in Halifax and Saint John with new facilities and open a new donor clinic in Moncton, N.B.

"We will not implement any changes that would adversely impact patient care in this province, or anywhere else in this country," Sher said.

Despite his assurances, Opposition Health critic, Margaret-Ann Blaney said she's not ready to agree.

"We are not convinced that the decision was the right decision for New Brunswick," she said. "We remain unconvinced."

Blaney said the suggestion of blood depots - located in various communities, and perhaps even within hospitals - was new, and she wanted more information before offering an opinion.

The new production facility in Dartmouth is supposed to open in 2011, but Liberal member, Stuart Jamieson said the fight to save the Saint John facility is far from over.

"Our task force was tasked to retain the production centre and we're still obligated to do that," Jamieson said.

"That's the position that the government and the Opposition is transmitting to the Canadian Blood Services."