Fort St. James residents will have to wait a little longer to reap the benefits of their new hospital.
According to the Ministry of Health, the new Stuart Lake Hospital is expected to be fully operational by the fall of 2025.
The ministry noted the new facility will see substantial completion this fall, meaning the building is complete and Northern Health can occupy it to begin the training and transition process prior to opening.
Deconstruction on the former hospital including the parking work and landscaping will occur after the transition of the new building.
In March of 2023, the province told Vista Radio the project was on track to open this year but has since been pushed back.
The new hospital is expected to be three times larger than the current hospital, and will have 27 beds, 18 of which will be in long-term care.
Project costs are estimated at around $158 million, which is being shared by the province and the Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District.
The current hospital was opened back in 1972.