Fort St. James is one step closer to getting a new hospital.
“Our government is moving forward to deliver a new hospital in Fort St. James with the selection of a preferred proponent and signing of the design-early works agreement,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.
“This announcement means we are closer to seeing what the hospital will look like and getting shovels in the ground.”
Northern Health and Infrastructure BC, named Graham Design Builders LP as the selected developer for the design-early works agreement.
It’s an agreement between the design-builder and the health authority, which gets the design phase underway.
The next step includes issuing a draft design-build request for proposals and a draft design-build agreement.
The new hospital is expected to be three times larger in building size than the current facility with 27 beds, including 18 long-term care beds.
There will be an emergency department with two treatment rooms, a trauma bay, and an ambulance bay. A laboratory and diagnostic imaging will be part of the new facility.
In addition, the facility will also include a primary care center.
“This investment announcement within our region is tremendous news for the community of Fort St. James and the surrounding rural and First Nations populations that rely on the invaluable local health services provided from this facility, not only today but now secured for the future,” said Jerry Petersen, chair, Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District.
The project budget of $116 million is cost-shared between the Province through Northern Health and the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District.
Originally it was announced the new facility would open to patients by 2024 but there has been no confirmation of that date.