Construction has begun on 15 new operating rooms and one hybrid operating room upgrade as part of Phase 2 of the operating-room expansion at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH). Completion of both phases of the operating-room expansion is expected to increase the number of surgeries from 16,800 to more than 19,000 per year.

“These new universal operating rooms will substantially increase the number of surgeries that can be delivered from Vancouver General Hospital,” said Minister of Infrastructure Bowinn Ma. “Construction is now underway on these important health-care facilities, while also creating good jobs during construction and, once complete, in health care.”

The new operating rooms will have a universal design, allowing any surgery to be performed in any room. They will be built to better accommodate equipment and storage, supporting a logical flow of tasks and activities during surgeries and improving efficiency. The enhanced design, technology and equipment will create a safer, more comfortable working environment for all staff and will optimize patient safety and surgical outcomes.

The new operating rooms will be built on level 2 of the Jim Pattison Pavilion at VGH. Construction is expected to finish in 2029.

In May 2021, Phase 1 of the project was completed with the opening of the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Surgical Centre, featuring 16 advanced operating rooms and a 40-bay pre- and post-operative recovery area.

Once phase 2 is finished, the surgical centre will have 32 operating rooms and 78 perioperative bays, along with upgraded infrastructure, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), electrical and plumbing systems. With these new, flexible operating rooms, health-care teams will be able to increase the number of operating room hours available and surgeries performed.