Tuesday, February 3, 2026
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced priorities for key infrastructure projects its says will strengthen essential services, and ensure affordability and sustainability for the province.
Planning will begin to redevelop St. Clare’s Hospital to meet the needs of the population it serves, with a focus on affordability and extending the life of existing infrastructure. The proposed Downtown Health Centre will be refocused to include services not available at St. Clare’s, ensuring better access to care. In addition, the Janeway Hospital Redevelopment project will be re-scoped in collaboration with NL Health Services to best meet client needs.
The Provincial Government is also proceeding with plans for a new urgent care centre in Conception Bay South. The urgent care centre will provide same-day access for patients with non-life-threatening conditions such as sprains, minor fractures, and infections. This commitment aligns with our commitment to better healthcare for all of us.
An urgent care centre in Conception Bay South will also reduce the need for residents to travel to the St. John’s area for non-life threatening medical attention.
“We have made infrastructure decisions today that reflect smarter spending and better planning – commitments we made during our recent campaign. By reshaping our infrastructure priorities, we are controlling costs while focusing on what matters most: the needs of the people of our province. We will also continue to work with our federal counterparts on timely approvals so we can get shovels in the ground on our cost-shared projects,” said Barry Petten, Deputy Premier and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
The province said it will also introduce changes to procurement to ensure that the people of the province will be the principal beneficiaries of future infrastructure investments. These measures will include prioritizing the hiring of local skilled trade workers, awarding of contracts to local companies and ensuring more opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups in the construction workforce.
According to Petten, existing infrastructure projects for which contracts have already been awarded will continue to advance such as new schools (Paradise, Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, Kenmount Terrace, Cartwright) and the new adult corrections facility. Municipal infrastructure work and the annual Roads Plan – which greatly impact many rural areas – will also proceed.
The Minister also announced that, given the province’s fiscal situation, several projects that do not align with immediate public priorities will not proceed, including:
- The Kenmount Crossing Acute Health Care Campus, which would have cost the public over $10 billion dollars and was not accounted for in the fiscal forecast;
- The Sports and Wellness Dome (St. John’s); and
- The Mid-Sized Theatre.
