The Centre Wellington Region of Ontario will soon be home to the Groves Memorial Community Hospital. The province is moving forward on the project by releasing a request for proposals to pre-qualified companies to build and finance the new project, which will be located in Fergus.

The project will provide patients in Fergus and the surrounding communities with a new hospital with more space for emergency, ambulatory, diagnostic and inpatient services to accommodate the growing community; more private inpatient rooms with showers and large windows; modernized infection control measures including more isolation facilities in the event of a pandemic or disease outbreak; up-to-date technology and clinical resources for physicians and staff; and a new on-site helipad for faster access to air ambulances.

The three teams that were shortlisted to bid on the new hospital project are GMCH Partnership, EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare and PCL Constructors Canada, which were shortlisted following a request for qualifications process that was initiated in September 2015. The winning firm is expected to be announced during the summer of 2017, followed shortly by the commencement of construction. The hospital is expected to be completed in 2019.

“We are committed to delivering a state-of-the-art hospital that will improve the patient experience and provide more seamless care for our residents in conjunction with our health care partners,” said Stephen Street, president and CEO of Groves Memorial Community Hospital, in a press release. “Our staff, physicians and volunteers look forward to evaluating the design from each of the three proponents. Our community and donors are looking forward to seeing the completion of this next phase and moving on to breaking ground.”