County of Simcoe presents million-dollar cheque to Stevenson Memorial Hospital for renovations

The County of Simcoe provided a million-dollar cheque to the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston Tuesday for its redevelopment project.

This is the County's first installment of its ten million dollar commitment.

The new 152,000-square-foot facility will include a new emergency department, a pharmacy, a surgical suite and a new birthing unit.

Construction is set to begin in 2025, and dignitaries say it's a crucial step forward with the growing population.

"It's a very exciting day. I look back in the history when this hospital was built and it used to handle 7,000 patients through the emergency a year and now it's 40,000. So, we're very excited to be part of this project," said County of Simcoe Warden Basil Clarke.

"The hospital and the community is growing and it's important for us to be able to provide healthcare services for the future for our community. What you see behind me here is the early works construction. So, we are preparing the parking lots and the sites, the deforce station, connecting water and sewer to get ready for our 2025 construction date," said Stevenson Memorial Hospital President and CEO Jody Levac.

Construction is expected to take anywhere between 16 and 24 months.