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The province of Alberta has dedicated $400 million over four years towards the construction of a new hospital in southwest Edmonton, a facility Premier Notley stated is "badly needed." To be located on government-owned land near Ellerslie Road and 127 Street, the new healthcare centre will hold between 350 and 500 beds.
Details for the upcoming state-of-the-art hospital were announced Tuesday by Notley, Health Minister Sarah Hoffman and Infrastructure Minister Brian Mason at the parcel of land where the building will be placed. With close access to Anthony Henday Drive and the Queen Elizabeth II Highway, and plans for a future LRT extension, the 320-acre site is strategically positioned to serve the growing neighbourhoods of southwest Edmonton. The facility will also alleviate pressure on the city's aging Misericordia Hospital, which will be undergoing modernization in the coming years.
While the $400 million allocation is significant, Finance Minister Joe Ceci noted the price tag could balloon past $1 billion. Planning and development have already begun, with the province hoping to begin construction in late 2020, but will take nearly ten years to complete.
The funding announcement fulfills a pledge in the 2017-2018 budget, which came after an Alberta Health Services report called for a new hospital to meet pressing demands. It would be the first new adult hospital built in Edmonton since the Grey Nuns Community Hospital opened in 1988.
