Plans to redesign the Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg are moving forward after the Ontario government announced an investment of $7.3 million.
Ontario Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development MPP Monte McNaughton made the grant announcement on Friday morning.
"Ontario has invested over $7 million to build a new power plant, which will then lead to a redevelopment of that entire hospital," said McNaughton. "This new power plant is going to support a new 24-hour emergency department, five in-patient beds, diagnostic imaging -- including radiology and ultrasound -- and a number of other important parts of the hospital."
The MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex said shovels will officially go into the ground on Friday with the construction project expected to be complete sometime in 2021.
"I can commit to everyone that that hospital is going to be there for generations to come," he said. "I remember being there a decade and a half ago, before I was in politics, standing with thousands of people in the community because the future of that hospital wasn't clear at all."
McNaughton announced initial plans to remodel the hospital in February 2019 while he was the Minister of Infrastructure. A $500,000 planning grant was announced so that work on a plan could start to be developed and at that time there was no set date for when construction would start.
"Today really is a milestone," he said.
There is no official word yet on how many jobs will be created during or following the construction project.
The CKHA said the new power plant will support the following services as part of the hospital’s redevelopment plan:
- 24-hour emergency department - Five inpatient beds - Ambulatory Care including specialty clinics - Diagnostic imaging including radiology and ultrasound - Respiratory therapy - Physiotherapy - Laboratory services
"It's a major project to redevelop a hospital but there will be a lot of good news in the future for Wallaceburg," said McNaughton.
A virtual event to celebrate the announcement will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday. Residents can watch the stream through the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance's Facebook page.