Stevenson Memorial Hospital will soon break ground on its $174-million redevelopment. The Ontario government recently awarded the construction contract for phase one to Canadian company Pomerleau Inc. The project will ultimately boost services for communities in Adjala-Tosorontio, Canadian Forces Base Borden, Essa, Innisfil, and New Tecumseth.

The first phase will add a new emergency department that is triple the size of the current space, a new birthing suite, expanded diagnostic and surgical services, and space to accommodate nine more inpatient beds at the hospital, increasing the total number of beds from 38 to up to 47.

A completion date for the whole redevelopment is set for late 2028. Plans also call for more acute care areas and a new three-storey building that will more than double the size of the hospital to about 147,100 square feet and boost inpatient bed capacity by 20 per cent.

“This is an exciting milestone in Stevenson Memorial Hospital’s journey towards building a new hospital facility,” said Carmine Stumpo the hospital’s supervisor. “Many years of planning have brought us to this moment, and we look forward to continuing on our journey alongside Pomerleau Inc., the Ontario government and its agency Infrastructure Ontario to bring an expanded, modern hospital to New Tecumseth and surrounding communities.”

The project is part of the government’s plan to invest nearly $60 billion in more than 50 major hospital projects across the province over the next 10 years.