Victoria Hospital expansion hits halfway mark as foundation ramps up fundraising push

Prince Albert Grand Council has been actively involved in the facility’s design.

“This is an exciting milestone for Prince Albert, surrounding First Nations and northern Saskatchewan,” PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said. “PAGC is proud to have been involved from the early stages, including input into the dedicated First Nations and Métis cultural space. We look forward to this project continuing to move ahead and the positive impact it will have for the people and communities this hospital serves.”

The expansion will increase the hospital’s capacity by about 40 per cent, boosting inpatient beds from 174 to 242. The new facility will include a rooftop heliport, larger emergency and operating rooms, dedicated pediatric and maternity units, an expanded intensive care unit, a new adult mental health unit and the region’s first MRI.

The new actute care tower is expected to increase the Victoria Hospital’s capacity by about 490 per cent when it opens in 2028. (Image Credit: Submitted/Boreal Healthcare Foundation)

For the Boreal Healthcare Foundation, however, the construction milestone is only part of the story.

“The provincial government is funding all of the construction costs, but the medical equipment, the MRI, the care spaces, the beds, the patient monitors — everything that turns the building into a hospital — falls on the community to raise the funds for,” Boreal Healthcare Foundation CEO Cody Barnett told paNOW.

The foundation is leading the $40-million Equip the Vic campaign, which aims to fund the furniture, fixtures and medical equipment needed before the new hospital can open.

Barnett said while 2028 may seem far away, the timeline is tighter than many people realize.

“We have to procure all the equipment, get everything up and operational. Even just getting equipment shipped to Prince Albert takes a lot of time,” he said. “Every decision that families and businesses are making today determine what kind of care we have in spring of 2028 when the new hospital opens.”

The campaign has already received several major donations.

Cameco contributed a founding gift of $1.5 million, while the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority committed $375,000. Other notable donations include $150,000 gifts from Redhead Equipment and the Hudye family, owners of Rally Motor Group, along with a $100,000 contribution from Aaron and Sherry Palidwar to support the neonatal intensive care unit.

Barnett said community support continues to grow.

“The community is really stepping up and it’s exciting to see this momentum both physically and on the fundraising side taking shape,” he said.

With the project now at its halfway point, Barnett is encouraging residents, businesses and organizations to get involved through donations or fundraising efforts.

“If you’re considering a donation, considering doing a fundraiser on behalf of the Equip the Vic campaign, please reach out,” he said. “Every bit matters.”

Questions have also been raised recently about whether enough health-care workers will be available to staff the expanded facility once it opens.

While recruitment remains a challenge across Canada, Barnett said the new hospital itself will help attract workers.

“From our perspective at the foundation, we know that health-care workers, like any of us in our day-to-day, want the space and tools we need to do our job,” he said. “As we’re building a new hospital, bringing brand new equipment in, that helps attract the skilled professionals we need.”

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has previously outlined plans to recruit more than 500 additional positions connected to the expansion.

“For our community, 500 new good-paying jobs is an incredible thing to have coming to Prince Albert,” he said. “We’re excited to see all of us come together in 2028 — the construction completion, the full equipment complement coming through, as well as the staffing.”

Barnett said the combination of a modern facility, new technology and hundreds of new jobs gives him confidence the project will be fully realized.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

by paNOW Staff

Victoria Hospital expansion hits halfway mark as foundation ramps up fundraising push

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