Another step towards south Niagara getting a new hospital has been taken.
Ontario is now accepting proposals to build the new hospital in Niagara Falls.
Infrastructure Ontario and Niagara Health have invited teams to respond to a request for proposals to design, build, finance and maintain the new South Niagara Hospital.
Ontario has invested over $19.5 million towards planning the new hospital in Niagara Falls since 2018.
In addition to emergency, critical care and surgical services, South Niagara Hospital will feature several centres of excellence specializing in stroke, complex care, geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry, and wellness in aging.
The new hospital is planned to have 469 beds.
Niagara Health will continue to operate the existing facility in St. Catharines, which was opened in 2013, along with the Welland campus.
The new hospital will be at the intersection of Biggar Road and Montrose Road in Niagara Falls.
The plan is to break ground in 2022 and open the hospital in 2026.
"The release of the RFP for the new South Niagara Hospital is a key milestone towards the new build. This is great news for South Niagara. With this new build, and the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital rebuild in West Niagara, the Niagara Region will have a significant number of brand-new health care facilities, which will ensure patients and their families receive the best possible care." Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West
“The release of the RFP is a significant milestone and brings us one-step closer to delivering a state-of-the-art hospital as part of our vision to create a world-class, high-quality healthcare experience for the residents of Niagara. Together, with our government partners, we look forward to working closely over the coming months and thank everyone for their tireless efforts to get us here today.” Lynn Guerriero, President and Chief Executive Officer, Niagara Health