The planning process for the Kincardine hospital redevelopment project has taken a step forward.
South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) reported the completion of Stage 2 submission of the Ministry of Health's five-stage capital planning process.
The 1,800-page report was endorsed by SBGHC's Board of Directors at their regular meeting on March 3rd and has been submitted to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health. The first phase of the redevelopment project includes an expansion of the Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory and Lobby Services, totalling $65M.
Phase one was included in the 2020 Ontario Budget as one of the government's healthcare investments that are in planning. According to the health Centre, 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 at $113M.
A media release says, "the square footage for the Emergency Department, Radioactive Decontamination Suite, Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory were expanded from the scope that was proposed in Stage 1 of the project to better meet the needs of the community into the future. With the upcoming Major Component Replacement Project 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."
The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation committed to fund the estimated $10.1 million local share for Phase 1 through a capital campaign to be launched following Ministry approval of Stage 2.
To support the development of the Stage 2 Functional Program Submission, the Ministry of Health provided a one time capital-planning grant of up to $1,520,000, bringing the total one-time Ministry funding for this project up to $2,020,000. The Municipalities of Kincardine and Huron-Kinloss have also supported the planning costs of the project, contributing $300,000 and $50,000 respectively in 2016.
