Ontario building new hospitals in Brantford-Brant and Waterloo Region

The Government of Ontario announced it is investing additional funds for the construction of new hospitals in Brantford and Waterloo.

An additional $12.5 million will support the planning and construction of a new Brant Community Healthcare System hospital, and $10 million for a new Waterloo Regional Health Network hospital, connecting more patients and families in Brant County, Six Nations of the Grand River and surrounding communities to care close to home.

“Our government is making historic investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system, ensuring more people in Brant County and Waterloo Region can connect to the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing to build a brand-new Brant Community Healthcare System and Waterloo Regional Health Network hospital, we are making it faster and easier for more people and their families to access world-class care in their community, for generations to come.”

The funding for the Brant Community Community Healthcare System hospital builds on the Ontario government’s previous investment of $2.5 million and will allow the new state-of-the-art facility to expand capacity, improve services and reduce wait times, ensuring the hospital can continue to meet the needs of the rapidly growing region for years to come.

Once opened, the new hospital would include:

• Increased patient capacity to meet the community’s future needs and allow more people to connect to care sooner
• More access to core programs, emergency services and intensive care
• Medical imaging and other diagnostic services
• Maternal, newborn and pediatric care programs
• Mental health and addictions programs, including a Mental Health Emergency Medicine Unit and Specialized Mental Health Outpatient Clinic
• Modernized medical and surgical inpatient units to allow people to receive vital surgeries and procedures sooner, including for stroke and rehabilitation care
• New ambulatory care programs and clinics to increase access to life-saving dialysis and cancer care

“Brant Community Healthcare System is sincerely appreciative of this new $12.5 million planning grant from the Ministry of Health. As we work to maintain existing facilities and plan for future facilities, Minister Jones and the Ministry of Health have remained present and responsive to our infrastructure needs. This funding allows us to start the detailed work to bring a shared vision to a working concept – one that is reflective of the growing health-care needs of this area. I thank the Minister for her presence here today and appreciate hers and MPP Will Bouma’s support to ensure Brant Community Healthcare System is leading beyond care,” said Bonnie Camm
president and CEO, Brant Community Healthcare System.

As a next step, the Ministry of Health is working with Brant Community Healthcare System to complete early planning for this project, including determining bed numbers and square footage.

Once future planning is complete and the project is tendered and awarded, a construction schedule will be confirmed.

The funding for a new Waterloo Regional Health Network hospital builds on the Ontario government’s previous investment of $5 million and will fir advance planning to build a new acute-care hospital in Waterloo. This state-of-the-art facility will expand capacity, improve services and reduce wait times, ensuring the hospital can continue to meet the needs of the rapidly growing region for years to come.

Once opened, the new hospital would include:

• Increased patient capacity to meet the community’s future needs and allow more people to connect to care sooner
• More access to core programs, emergency services and critical care
• Expanded cardiac clinics as part of the Regional Cardiac Care Centre, increasing access to life-saving cardiac care
• Medical imaging, diagnostic services and enhanced surgical spaces
• Maternal, newborn and pediatric care
• Modernized medical and surgical inpatient units to allow people to receive vital surgeries and procedures sooner

The new hospital site is located on the University of Waterloo lands west of Bearinger Road and Hagey Boulevard in Waterloo, making it easier and more convenient for people living in Waterloo and the surrounding region to access world-class care in the community.

“We are sincerely grateful to the Government of Ontario for this important investment in the future of health care for our Region. As one of the fastest-growing areas in the province, Waterloo Region requires modern, innovative infrastructure to meet the increasing and evolving needs of the people we serve. This investment will support the planning of our new hospital that will ensure access to high-quality care, support healthier families for generations to come, and strengthen the overall health system in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Ministry of Health, our local MPPs, and our community partners as we work together to bring this transformative project to life,” said Ron Gagnon, president and CEO, Waterloo Regional Health Network.

Featured image: (Government of Ontario)