Kincardine Hospital Redevelopment Project Advances
The Kincardine hospital redevelopment project has passed another significant milestone with the receipt of approval from the Ministry of Health to advance to Stage 3 of the ministry’s five-stage capital planning process.
This approval applies to the first phase of the hospital redevelopment project which includes an expansion and modernization of the Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory, Decontamination room, Lobby, and Back of House (loading/unloading), and will cost $60M. The majority of this space was constructed over 40 years ago, and is in need of expansion and modernization to meet the current health care needs of the Kincardine community. The new Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory space will be almost three times larger than the current space, and will be designed to best meet the current and future needs of the patients served by SBGHC.
The second phase of the redevelopment, which will not occur for several years, will include the inpatient unit and operating room. This portion of the project is estimated to cost $113M.
With the Major Component Replacement (MCR) project underway at the Bruce Power Nuclear Facility, the population of the Kincardine area will increase significantly in the coming years, with a corresponding increase in demand on the Kincardine hospital’s Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, and Laboratory Services.
Stage 3 of a capital project is the time when the majority of the building design happens, including the development of architectural, civil, mechanical, electrical and landscape drawings, and the functional program that was developed in Stage 2 is translated into a two-dimensional design format. Stage 4 is the time when working drawings are developed that are suitable for public tendering and construction purposes, and Stage 5 is construction.
The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation has been working closely with South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) since the start of the redevelopment project in 2017, having two Foundation Board member representatives on SBGHC’s Kincardine Redevelopment Oversight Committee, and have committed to fund the estimated $10.1M local share for
Phase 1 of the project.
The Foundation has launched the Building Health Care for Generations capital fundraising campaign, with an overall goal of raising $12M for the redevelopment project, as well as the hospital’s ongoing medical equipment needs. Support for this campaign has already begun with a $1.5M donation from Bruce Power, along with an additional $500,000 donation from Bruce Power’s supplier partners through the Bruce Power Supplier Sponsorship Package. In addition, the Municipalities of Kincardine and Huron-Kinloss have also provided significant contributions to support both the planning costs and a portion of the local share of the project.
“This announcement today is great news for the residents of Kincardine, surrounding communities as well as the staff and physicians at the Kincardine Hospital,” said Becky Fair, Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation President. “The Foundation knows it has the strong support of the community to meet the goal of raising $12M for this project. Bruce Power and its supplier partners have kick-started our campaign and we look forward to getting out in our community and Building Health Care for Generations.”
“Bruce Power’s Life Extension Program will help Ontario meet our net zero targets while at the same time creating jobs, boosting our local economy and enhancing our supply of life-saving medical isotopes,” said Mike Rencheck Bruce Power’s President and CEO. “This also creates the opportunity for our communities to enhance infrastructure like hospitals, schools, and recreation facilities to ensure local residents have opportunities and resources that they deserve as we continue to develop the Clean Energy Frontier towards a prosperous and sustainable future.”
“This is a major milestone in moving the Kincardine hospital towards a new emergency department, diagnostic imaging department, laboratory services, and a new and expanded decontamination room,” said Michael Barrett, SBGHC President and CEO. “Together with construction now getting underway for the new CT suite addition at the Kincardine hospital, and today’s announcement that the redevelopment project is taking a significant step forward, these are exciting times for health care in Kincardine and the surrounding community.”