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Business case for Red Deer hospital’s expansion under review by Alberta Health

Too early for the project to have detailed timelines
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Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping gives a COVID-19 update in Edmonton on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. (Photo by Government of Alberta)

Alberta Health says it’s too early in the planning and design stage of Red Deer hospital’s expansion project to provide detailed timelines.

Earlier this week Health Minister Jason Copping spoke about the project in the Legislature.

“Let me be clear, Alberta’s government remains committed to the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre,” Copping said.

“The project is currently in phase 2 of 4: planning and design. As part of phase 2, Alberta Health Services has been engaging with members of the public as well as conducting a complete review of all components of the hospital.”

He said AHS is examining the number and location of operating rooms for surgical and acute care, the need for inpatient beds in comparison with the current number, and which programs or departments need them.

In February 2020, Premier Jason Kenney announced $100 million toward improvements at hospital as part of the first phase of improvements to the facility. Construction and renovation was expected to start in 2021.

A statement from Alberta Health said the business case has very recently been completed and is under review by the ministry.

The ministry said that the next step in the process will be to undertake detailed functional programming which will help to identify space allocations, program adjacencies, staffing needs, and other important details that will inform the design process.

It was also too early in the planning and design process to be able to provide detailed timelines. However, it would take several years to complete a major redevelopment project.



szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com

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