Fort St. James is set to benefit from enhanced healthcare with the opening of a new hospital today. The facility, three times the size of the previous one, features 27 beds, including 18 long-term care and nine acute-care beds. It also boasts an expanded emergency department, with two treatment rooms, a trauma bay, and an ambulance bay, along with larger laboratory and diagnostic imaging spaces.
Minister of Health, Josie Osborne, emphasized the importance of the new facility, which addresses decades of demand from local communities, including First Nations. The hospital’s design also reflects local Indigenous culture to ensure it’s welcoming for everyone.
Located at 606 Stuart Dr. E, the new hospital will integrate with the current health center, which will open for patients on January 20, 2025. The new facility represents a $158 million investment, with nearly $140 million funded by the Province through Northern Health, and more than $18 million contributed by the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District.
Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure, highlighted the hospital’s role in improving access to healthcare and reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for care. The new hospital will provide modern, accessible services to Fort St. James and surrounding communities for many years to come.
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