Ontario Breaks Ground on Expanded Emergency Department in Hamilton

The Ontario government has officially broken ground on the new and expanded emergency department at Hamilton General Hospital.

Supported by a $25 million investment, the new emergency department will feature 8,500 square feet of additional emergency space to better serve the more than 50,000 visitors it receives every year. 

“Our government is making historic investments in health-care infrastructure to protect Ontario’s health-care system and connect more people to the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We are excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of this new and expanded emergency department at Hamilton General Hospital, which, once complete, will bring vital emergency care capacity to the Hamilton region and help more families access the right care, in the right place, for generations to come.”

(Government of Ontario)

The new state-of-the-art emergency department at Hamilton General Hospital is expected to be completed by 2030 and will include a larger ambulance off-loading area, a new triage/rapid assessment and observation area, as well as improvements to existing facilities to improve care and reduce wait times for patients.

“Every day, the most critically ill patients from across our region come to Hamilton Health Sciences’ Hamilton General Hospital for life-saving, specialized care. Modernizing the emergency department will strengthen our ability to care for these patients by improving patient flow and providing our emergency teams with the environment they need to deliver world-class care. We are grateful for the province’s investment in this critical infrastructure and in the future of emergency care for the people who depend on it,” said Tracey MacArthur, president and CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences.

Canadian construction company Chart Construction has been awarded the contract.

Once completed, new and updated services in the emergency department will include:

• Upgraded resuscitation area to provide faster life-saving care for patients
• Additional treatment rooms, nursing stations and staff work areas to help care teams serve more patients, faster
• Improved patient navigation throughout the emergency department and between hospital services to reduce patient wait times
• Better sightlines across patient care areas, supporting a safer and more patient-centred environment
• Enhanced infection prevention and control measures, including airborne isolation rooms

Featured image: (Hamilton Health Sciences)