Officials from the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance are in discussions with the province to move forward on plans to revitalize the Wallaceburg hospital.
CEO Lori Marshall says the ongoing conversation is part of the usual process for a project of this scope.
“We put our submission (to the Ministry of Health) in December,” Marshall explains. “In the last week we received back the request with some questions from the capital branch and we’re in the process of working with our architects and with the design consultants to provide responses to those questions.”
Marshall says none of the government’s questions were of concern or require any substantial rework. CKHA hopes to have its response back to the province in the next two weeks.
The full cost of the project is estimated at $41 million, with 10% of construction costs to be provided by the local community.
“We would need $4.1 million to go towards construction and then in addition to that, we are responsible for 100% of equipment and furnishings and fixtures, that then added the additional $4.8 million to make it a total that we are required to provide as a local community to $8.9 million.”
The initial submission for the project in 2019 was $25 million, however the numbers needed to be reassessed due to the increase in construction costs and other inflationary pressures.
Hospital funding was promised in the 2023 budget, however Marshall says they’re still waiting to get specifics on that announcement.
Among the planned upgrades to the new wing of the hospital is moving the emergency department and medical beds, new diagnostic imaging, new laboratory, and rehabilitation area.
Marshall expects the general timelines for the revitalization remain intact with a hope to have shovels in the ground in late 2024.