The Kincardine Hospital redevelopment could be put out for tender by the end of the year, with shovels in the ground in the spring.
The South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) presented an update on the project to Kincardine council this week, saying the expansion that will almost double the building's footprint and bring in the first MRI in Bruce County, is still in the detailed planning process.
A full cost estimation should be ready by late September to be sent to the Ministry of Health for approval.
Based on typical timelines, SBGHC President and CEO Nancy Shaw said, if approved, the project would go for tender at the end of December 2026. Construction would likely start in May 2027.
Councillor Beth Blackwell was curious how the public would be informed about the impacts of construction on the hospital once work gets underway. Shaw said the strategy was still in the works.
"We actually just started those conversations about, where is the main entrance going to be while you're building the new entrance? Where's the emerge entrance going to be when you're building the new ER," she said. "So once we have that all solidified, that will be a big communication project for our organization, to make sure that the public knows of any changes that happen, because there will be temporary movement of departments, and it's important we have that communication plan."
Along with more space for medical imaging, the hospital will have more space for lab services and an expanded emergency department. Councillor Bill Stewart asked whether the hospital would need more physicians for the emergency department as a result, but Shaw said that wasn't her call.
"We continue to monitor volumes of emerges all the time, and we have backup physicians when things get congested," she said. "But when it comes to physician staffing, I'm not the one that controls that, it's the physician group. They will have a conversation and certainly change that staffing if they felt it was appropriate. But at this time, that's what is appropriate considering the numbers we have."
Shaw added that Kincardine is already the busiest ER in their system, but they've been able to manage that load with one doctor per shift.
The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation is still about $3.5 million short of its $18 million fundraising campaign goal to support the redevelopment.
For more information or to support the campaign, visit here.
