Niagara Health and Infrastructure Ontario announced last week that EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare (EDIH) has been awarded a fixed-price contract of approximately $3.6 billion to design, build, finance and maintain the new South Niagara Site. The contract reflects the payments made during construction, the substantial completion payment and the monthly service payments before inflation adjustments.

EDIH will soon begin site work on the property, with construction planned to begin this summer. The hospital will take five years to build, with occupancy planned for 2028.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare to bring this exciting new hospital to Niagara. The team at EDIH has created a truly impressive building design that is specific to our needs, showcasing their knowledge and expertise in healthcare infrastructure,” said Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO of Niagara Health. “The new state-of-the–art hospital is going to transform healthcare for the Niagara region and will attract healthcare workers to the region. I look forward to watching it come to life over the next few years.”

The 1.3-million-square-foot hospital will be centrally located in Niagara Falls, just off the QEW on the corner of Montrose and Biggar roads. It will offer a full scope of hospital services, including emergency, critical care, diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services, as well as Centres of Excellence in complex care, wellness in aging, and stroke.

The new hospital will be 12 storeys tall and will have up to 469 beds, of which a significant portion will be new, increasing Niagara Health’s capacity to provide inpatient services for the region. The site will have state-of-the-art infection prevention and control measures, and has also been planned with the space and infrastructure to accommodate new and emerging healthcare technology.

In addition to being LEED Silver-certified, the South Niagara Site is working towards being the first WELL-certified hospital in Canada, incorporating design elements that promote health and well-being for everyone who uses it. These improved spaces will prioritize the mental health and well-being of staff, patients and visitors, creating a positive workplace environment that will help attract and retain healthcare professionals. The hospital will also feature an Indigenous healing space and garden. With our Indigenous partners having provided input into the design, these spaces were incorporated to create culturally safe and welcoming areas for Indigenous Peoples.

The new hospital will bring multi-year economic benefits, boosting employment and community growth in Niagara by supporting local business during construction. EDIH will be responsible for assembling the construction team, however NH will work with EDIH to promote opportunities for local businesses to become involved with the project. NH will also be highlighting opportunities for community members to become involved.

EDIH was selected after extensive evaluations following an open, fair and competitive request for proposals process that began in October 2021.

More information about the new South Niagara Site is available here.