Artistic rendering by KMBR Architects
WILLIAMS LAKE – A recent Provincial government release stated that Interior Health has signed a contract for the construction of the Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) redevelopment project with the preferred proponent, Graham Design Builders LP.
Cariboo Memorial Hospital serves the population living in Williams Lake and in adjacent rural and remote areas including the Cariboo Chilcotin and 100 Mile House Local Health Areas.
Construction will happen in two phases. Phase 1 (102,000 sq ft), which includes the addition, will begin in spring 2023 and is expected to finish in fall 2026. Once complete, Phase 2 will begin construction, which includes renovations to the existing hospital, will begin in fall 2026 and is scheduled to be complete in early 2029. The project has been budgeted for more than $366 million and will be shared by the Province and the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District.
“We are excited to see this significant milestone achieved for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital redevelopment project. I express our gratitude to Minister Dix for delivering on his commitment to proceed with this greatly needed upgrade to a critical health-care facility. Along with the numerous other improvements to this critical facility, we are particularly pleased to see the increased number of care beds, a dedicated mental-health and substance-use unit, and space for UBC’s Faculty of Medicine. We are also excited to see the benefits that will come from the interfaith sacred space to support the traditional cultural and healing practices of Indigenous persons living in the Cariboo-Chilcotin,” said Al Richmond, chair of the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District.
The CMH redevelopment project includes an addition to the existing hospital as well as renovations to the existing facility. The addition will be three storeys, plus a basement, and approximately 9,300 square metres (100,100 square feet). The redevelopment will add 25 in-patient beds for a total of 53.
People will have increased access to health-care services as the expanded hospital will include a new emergency department, medical/surgical in-patient unit and mental-health and substance-use in-patient unit as well as an expanded ambulatory care and oncology unit, maternity and women’s health unit and pharmacy. The hospital will also include administrative, educational and training spaces for the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine.
The addition at CMH will be designed and constructed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification at a minimum.
Business Examiner Staff
