Stevenson Memorial Hospital expansion moves forward with key milestone

The Ontario government announced on Friday that a 'Request For Qualifications' (RFQ) had been made to select a team of builders to proceed with an expansion project that would more than triple the size of Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston.

The move is the third step of a five-stage process to build a new wing to the current hospital site, which would significantly upgrade its capacity and many of its departments.

"As we know, Alliston is going to be growing very quickly, as is all of Simcoe County," said MPP Brian Saunderson during his announcement at the hospital. "We are working to make sure that this hospital is expanded and that [the] community can continue to thrive and grow."

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The Alliston hospital's expansion has been in the works for nearly a decade.

The project would add a two-storey northern wing to the hospital, increasing its size to more than 146,000 square feet in total and increasing inpatient bed capacity by 20 per cent.

"We are servicing about 35,000 patients in the emergency department a year, and we were built for 7,000," said Dr. Matt Myatt, the hospital's emergency department chief and medical information officer. "We're really excited to proceed forward with our expansion to make the emergency department service the needs of the community."

The expansion would also add laboratory space, an enhanced birthing unit, a new elevated helipad, and double the size of the surgical department.

"It means a tremendous amount to our community, who deserve a brand new hospital building in which to perform care for people in our community," said Barb Steed, the hospital's interim CEO and president.

If the RFQ is approved in the winter, shovels could hit the ground as soon as next year. The province hopes the construction will be completed within three years.