By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Grande Prairie Regional Hospital opening now expected in late fall 2021

Apr 5, 2021 | 5:55 PM

Grande Prairie City Council heard from a Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation delegation at Monday’s meeting where council learned the new hospital is now expected to open in the late fall of 2021.

The original opening date of the new hospital was this June.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says while the hospital not opening this summer is disappointing, it is good news more will be completed than originally planned.

“It is opening quite a few months slightly delayed from the message earlier this spring, however, when it does open later this fall, there will be more of the work completed. The project will be overall completed to a further stage than originally anticipated.”

That additional work includes two more surgical suites and a 32-bed medical unit, both of which were to be left as shelled space. A 28-bed mental health unit will also be built out.

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Clayton adds everyone knows it has been a long wait for the new hospital.

“We’re extremely excited to see the finish line, we’re that close to getting the doors open. The facility itself will just be such a huge asset to the region and we’re extremely excited to see the finish line that much closer now.”

Clayton says the new hospital will not only be important for health care but will also be a big economic driver for the city.

“This project has been long in length, but it also has been vast in the scale of the project in itself. As you see when you drive by, it is an extremely large piece of infrastructure that has been added to the region. With it came jobs through construction and many trades that have worked on it through the years. As many doctors and staff (are added), it will also bring new people to the region.”

The Grande Prairie Regional Hospital would employ 1300 people when it is fully staffed.

The Foundation delegation told council that the new hospital would be for acute care, while the QE II would be for extended care. Several offices that are currently scattered around the city, mental health and payroll offices for two, would move into the QE II.

The presentation also said while there will be an emergency room at the new hospital, the one at the QE II would stay open. The new hospital would have over 50 treatment spaces, nearly double what is at the QE II.