Burnaby Hospital redevelopment inches closer to Phase 2

The B.C. government says it’s one step closer in the process of redeveloping the Burnaby Hospital.

The province announced Monday that it has selected a construction partner for the project and is preparing to begin Phase 2.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the next phase of construction has been made possible with the help of a “multi-party contract” involving PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. and Parkin Architects Western Ltd.

Dix says Phase 2 will include the Keith and Betty Beedie Acute Care Tower, which will feature 160 private rooms to support general medicine, medical oncology, cardiac telemetry, intensive care, and room for high-acuity patients.

A new BC Cancer Care centre for Burnaby, the demolition of the West Wing building, expansion of the emergency department to 104 treatment spaces, and renovations to the endoscopy and laboratory components are also part of the plan.

“The vision to redevelop the Burnaby Hospital has always been to allow more people to have access to modernized acute-care services, such as life-saving cancer care, within their community,” said Dix. “With Phase 1 of the Burnaby Hospital redevelopment project well underway, Fraser Health is taking more major strides. I’m excited that we’ve reached this milestone because it means we are closer to beginning design and construction for Phase 2.”

Construction as part of Phase 2 is expected to begin in late 2025, with the goal of being ready for patients by 2030.

The province says the total cost of Phase 2 is about $1.7 billion, with funding coming from the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, BC Cancer Foundation, and government.

Dix says Phase 1 is progressing well, and will be “opening for patients in the first half of 2024.” The province explains a new health-care pavilion being built under Phase 1 is expected to wrap up in 2025.