One year later: South Niagara Hospital construction update
A year into the construction of the new South Niagara Hospital, progress has been continuing at a steady pace as the new hospital comes to life. “There is so much that goes on behind the scenes with a project of this size and complexity,” said Valeria Blyth-Collins, Project Manager at Infrastructure Ontario. “But now that we’re a year into construction, the crews have started work on the superstructure, and it’s not long before the new hospital will start to take shape.”
Last summer, close to 300 people attended a groundbreaking event on the site of the new hospital to mark the start of construction. Premier Doug Ford, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, and Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma marked the milestone with Infrastructure Ontario, donors, local elected officials, Indigenous partners, community and patient partners, and Niagara Health leaders.
From empty field to active construction site
Since then, construction crews have made smooth and steady progress: excavation for the foundation and basement level is complete, including the insertion of more than 1,250 steel piles into bedrock in order to support the building foundation. Elevator shafts and stairwells are taking shape, and the majority of the site services have been completed, including waterlines, stormwater and sanitary sewers. Electrical work is also progressing well. With four cranes up on site and work on the superstructure underway, construction has recently moved above ground level. Today, the first three floors of the building are visible, and over the next few years, the community will be able to watch the building grow floor by floor until it reaches its final height of 12 storeys.
To get a sense of the progress to date, check out the live stream video and click on “time lapse.”
On average, there are more than 200 workers on site each day, many from local Niagara-based sub-contractors. More than 1,000 skilled labourers are expected on site per day during peak construction periods.
Community input continues
Engagement with the local community has continued over the last year, in order to gather critical input on the new hospital’s look, feel and function. This feedback will ensure the hospital is designed and built to fully support patient, family and staff wellness in all aspects of the care process. So far, input has been received from more than 2,500 Niagara Health staff, patients, physicians, families, partners, and community members.
This kind of involvement is key to making sure the project meets the needs of surrounding communities. Based on community input, the new hospital will include an Indigenous healing space and garden, and is working towards being the first WELL-certified hospital in Canada. This certification is given to buildings that incorporate design elements that focus on the health and wellbeing of people working in, and using, the facility.
About the project
Located in Niagara Falls, the South Niagara Hospital project is expected to be completed in 2028. The 1.3 million square foot hospital will offer a full range of hospital services, including emergency, critical care, diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services, and feature Centres of Excellence in complex care, wellness in aging and stroke care.
“Building a hospital is something that typically happens once in a generation,” said Valeria. “At IO, we’re incredibly proud of our work and the partnerships we build to bring projects like this to life. We’re looking forward to seeing what the next year brings.”
Stay informed with the latest news and ongoing updates on this state-of-the-art health care project: