New South Niagara Hospital hits two-year construction mark

It will stand 12 storeys tall and cover a footprint of close to 250,000 square feet.

Construction of the South Niagara Hospital has reached the two-year mark, a major milestone in the development of the facility at the corner of Montrose and Biggar roads.

On Wednesday, a tour was given to local media by representatives from Niagara Health as well as EllisDon, the construction company leading the $3.6-billion project.

The building will be “wider than it is tall,” explained Manny Bairos, general superintendent with EllisDon.

Work is taking place in all areas of the site and many of the fine details are still to come, but one thing that has started is windows being installed.

“We’re starting to enclose the building and we’re working from the bottom up,” Bairos said.

The new hospital is set to open in 2028, which will be followed by a transitional period of about five to six months beginning when an occupancy permit is given.

It has been two years since construction started, and at that time, about 100 workers were on the project.

But now there are roughly 800, including office staff in trailers who work for various trade companies. And that number will reach about 1,000 by the end of the year, said Bairos.

Patrick Topping, director of transaction and construction at Niagara Health, said it’s amazing how quickly things are moving along, noting that he recently returned from a week of vacation to find noticeable, significant progress since he left.

“It’s just a testament to how great the construction is going,” he said.

“We’re so grateful for the dedication and hard work that’s gone into building something that will serve our community for generations,” said Lynn Guerriero, president and chief executive officer of Niagara Health in a news release.

Niagara Health says the new hospital will be more than bricks and mortar, but an “investment in the health and well-being of every person in the region.”

Concrete pouring continues on the upper levels, while crews on the lower levels are running mechanical and electrical services and putting up interior walls.

Windows and exterior finish installations have commenced and roofing installations are ongoing on some of the lower levels. Major equipment such as electrical switchgears and transformers as well as the main air handling units are also being delivered.

Outside the building, roads and parking lots are being paved on a majority of the 50-acre site, said Niagara Health.

On opening day, the South Niagara Hospital will have 475 single occupancy patient bedrooms, increasing regional capacity by 162 beds.

The South Niagara Hospital will offer a full scope of hospital services, including emergency, critical care, diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services, and complex care, including wellness in aging and stroke.

The hospital will also feature an Indigenous healing space and garden, co-designed with Indigenous partners to create a safe and welcoming space.

When the new hospital opens, the Douglas Memorial urgent care centre in Fort Erie will close.

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