Saturday, May 17, 2025
The Government of British Columbia announced that people in Mission and surrounding communities are a step closer to an upgraded emergency department as Mission Memorial Hospital moves forward with an approved $18-million renovation project.
“The Mission Memorial Hospital emergency department provides critical, life-saving care to people when they need it most,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This project will help ensure that the hospital can keep pace with the community’s growing population and provide quality care now and into the future.”
In early 2024, the emergency department at Mission Memorial Hospital experienced a flood that required major remediation and repairs, which are now complete. The remediation process provided an opportunity to examine the existing space and consider how the emergency department could be improved to benefit patients, families and care providers over the long term.
The expanded dmergency department will be 35 per cent larger, increasing care spaces by 17 to a total of 41.
“As our communities grow so to do their needs for hospitals and other health care facilities,” said Bowinn Ma, B.C.’s Minister of Infrastructure. “The expansion of the Mission Memorial Hospital emergency department will help ensure people in the Fraser Valley can continue to access high quality emergency care in their region and supports our ongoing work to modernize health-care facilities for people across B.C.”
Enhancements will include a resuscitation room with a dedicated anteroom to treat patients who require rapid interventions, such as cardiac arrest. It will also include an airborne isolation room that will provide immediate and specialized care for patients at risk of spreading airborne infections.
Patient and provider safety are key to the emergency department’s new layout with a focus on clear lines of sight, quick and clear exit paths in case of an emergency and controlled access to and throughout the department.
“This investment marks a major milestone for emergency care in Mission, as the expanded and modernized emergency department will not only enhance the care experience for patients and families, but also create a safer, more efficient work environment for staff and physicians,” said Dr. Lynn Stevenson, interim president and CEO, Fraser Health. “We hope this revitalization will also attract new emergency physicians who are excited to be part of a growing, vibrant community.”
“Last year, we were told by the Minister of Health that Mission Memorial Hospital was considered a critical part of the Fraser Valley’s health care infrastructure, and that it had an important future,” said Paul Horn, mayor of Mission. “This investment reinforces the commitment by Fraser Health and the Ministry of Health in ensuring a robust Mission Memorial Hospital. We look forward to more opportunities to see improvements in and around the hospital campus.”
The planning phase of the Mission Memorial Hospital emergency department project is complete and the design phase is currently underway. Construction is expected to begin in early 2026 and complete in spring 2027.
Featured image: (Fraser Health Authority)
