Shovels in the Ground for New South Niagara Hospital
July 18, 2023
Niagara Falls – After more than a decade of planning, Niagara residents are celebrating the start of construction on the new South Niagara Hospital in Niagara Falls.
Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, was joined today by Hon. Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health; Hon. Kinga Surma, Minster of Infrastructure, and Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, as well as representatives of Niagara Health and the Niagara Health Foundation, to break ground on the 1.3-million-square-foot hospital.
“This groundbreaking marks the second hospital in Niagara with shovels in the ground since our government took office,” said MPP Oosterhoff.
“The construction of the new South Niagara Hospital is a testament to our government’s commitment to healthcare in Niagara. From building new hospitals to training more nurses and healthcare workers, the province is on a mission to ensure every patient and family in Niagara receives world-class healthcare when and where they need it. My sincere congratulations to Niagara Health and thanks to all who have worked to get this monumental project to this point!”
“Today’s groundbreaking event for the new South Niagara Hospital brings us one step closer to connecting the people of Niagara to more convenient care close to home for generations to come,” said Premier Ford.
“Right across the province, we are investing nearly $50 billion over the next ten years to support more than fifty major hospital projects. When it comes to your health, we are building a healthcare system that all Ontarians deserve.”
Located in Niagara Falls at the corner of Montrose and Biggar roads, the South Niagara Hospital will increase regional healthcare capacity. The facility has been designed to meet the growing needs of Niagara’s aging population, featuring centres of excellence in complex care, wellness in aging and stroke.
“It is a pleasure to be here for this historic milestone for the residents of Niagara,” said Minister Jones.
“The new South Niagara Hospital will significantly increase capacity to meet the needs of the region’s growing and aging population, ensuring Niagara communities can connect to the care they need, right in their own community close to home.”
“Our government is committed to investing in healthcare and healthcare infrastructure across the province,” said Minister Surma.
“This is a very exciting day for Niagara where so many lives will be changed for the better because of this project. I am proud of all the work our government is doing to build Ontario – strengthening communities like this one by making them better places to live, work and raise a family.”
Close to 300 guests witnessed the milestone event, including donors, local elected officials, Indigenous partners, community and patient partners and Niagara Health leaders.
“Niagara residents have been planning, wishing, and waiting for this hospital for more than ten years,” said Lynn Guerriero, President and Chief Executive Officer of Niagara Health.
“I am thrilled that today we have officially broken ground on this exciting new facility. The hard work, planning, fundraising and dedication from our teams and the community is making this dream a reality. We are one step closer to building a state-of-the-art hospital that will transform how we deliver healthcare in the region and allow Niagara residents to get the care they need right in our own community.”
The twelve-storey hospital will include 469 single patient bedrooms, eight operating suites, forty-two hemodialysis stations and two Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines. It will offer a full scope of hospital services, including emergency, critical care, diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services.
The South Niagara Hospital is working to become the first WELL-certified hospital in Canada, incorporating design features that focus on the health and well-being of hospital users, including staff and physicians. The new hospital will offer a modern and positive workplace environment, helping to attract and retain top healthcare professionals.
The hospital will also feature an Indigenous healing space and garden that was designed with input from local Indigenous partners. These spaces were incorporated to create culturally safe and welcoming areas for Indigenous Peoples.
In February 2023, EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare was awarded the $3.6-billion contract to design, build, finance and maintain the hospital. Teams have been busy working with Niagara Health staff, physicians and patient and community partners on design development, ensuring the hospital meets the complex needs of a world-class healthcare facility that will serve Niagara for years to come.
The use of local sub-contractors and workers is a priority for the hospital project, which will bring multi-year economic benefits and boost employment and community growth in Niagara. EllisDon has committed to exploring opportunities to support local business during construction and has awarded early sub-contracts to local businesses and labour unions.
Rankin Construction has already initiated site work on the property in preparation for the construction trailer complex, which will be installed in the coming weeks. Excavation will begin by the end of the summer. The hospital will take five years to complete, with the official opening planned for summer 2028.