Momentum building as plans for new hospital accelerate
After more than 15 years of planning, momentum is building for a new hospital that will transform how Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) cares for patients.
In recent months, significant progress has been made driving forward a project that will help our growing community thrive for generations to come. Last spring, Ontario’s government approved BCHS’s concept of building a new hospital on a new site and provided an additional $12.5-million planning grant to continue planning for redevelopment.
This spring, an independent task force is expected to deliver its recommendations on preferred locations in Brantford-Brant for the new hospital. The task force closed the initial phase of its call for land proposals on February 10 after receiving submissions from many landowners. The task force will evaluate the submissions over the next couple of months before it expects to deliver its recommendation on a preferred site to the BCHS Board of Directors for consideration this spring. Reimagine BCHS anticipates sharing this publicly after the final negotiations, likely in the fall.
Plans for a new hospital to serve more patients includes:
- 40 per cent more beds
- Single rooms for all patients
- One third more capacity in a full-service, 24/7 emergency department
- 33 per cent more ICU beds
- A state-of the art family birthing centre with 100 per cent private birthing rooms and post-partum rooms
- An expanded and dedicated integrated stroke unit with a 45 per cent increase in beds for stroke patients
- A comprehensive state-of-the-art surgical suite including prep and recovery, day surgery, and operating rooms
- Expanded diagnostics in all major testing areas
- An Indigenous healing centre in an accessible and visible location.
BCHS serves the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations community in Canada – just minutes away from our facilities. BCHS has a comprehensive Indigenous Health Team in place and a new Indigenous Health Strategy. A new hospital is an opportunity to design a facility together with local First Nations that enhances our work towards cultural safety, traditional medicines, and incorporates more of the natural worlds as part of the First Nations and Indigenous patient experience.
In the months ahead, you’re going to be hearing more frequently from BCHS about the new hospital. The BCHS will speak about the future home of the new hospital as the site selection process continues, continue to meet with municipal partners to seek support and input, and will provide community members more opportunities to shape plans.