The new Surrey Memorial Hospital emergency department will open to patients Oct. 1.

The 57,000-square-foot new facility is five times larger than Surrey’s current emergency department, making it Canada’s second largest ER.

It is organized into specific areas and zones to provide efficient, patient-centred care. New features include separate entrances for adults and children, and specialized areas for substance abuse and mental health.

The new emergency room marks the completion of Phase 1 of a $512-million redevelopment and expansion of Surrey Memorial Hospital, which includes an eight-floor critical care tower. The ER department is located on the first floor of the tower. The rest of the tower, which will include 150 in-patient beds, an intensive care unit, academic space and perinatal centre, is scheduled to open in June 2014.