Windsor Regional Hospital hires architect for new acute care hospital

Windsor Regional Hospital has hired a global architecture firm to move forward with the new acute care hospital project and turn words into designs.

Much has been articulated during the planning phase for the new hospital. Now, it's up to Stantec Architecture to start designing what the new hospital will look like when it is completed in 2031.

“So far what we’ve done is kinda mock stuff of what a hospital looks like in general but they're going to start doing that and they're going to be with us 'til we complete this project,” said Windsor Regional CEO David Musyj.  

Some of Stantec’s recent projects include the new Cortellucci Vaughn Hospital and the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.

Using the input of 39 groups and countless hours of community engagement, construction is slated to begin in 2027.

Stantec will help Windsor Regional complete stage 2 of planning to be submitted to the ministry of health by march of next year.

“A lot of work needs to be done in the next few months to put together some block schematics that are going to be submitted along with the stage 2 wording,” Musyj said.

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the government will not delay the building of the acute care hospital but says the long timeline is in place for a reason.

“This is going to be a gift for the community that is going to be used for 50-plus years so we wanna get it right in the planning stages,” she said.

It's a project that has been a popular topic on the campaign trail during this election season.

“The last thing we need is some hesitancy with new council's coming in saying let's revisit that 10 per cent local share. You don't have the 10 per cent local share, this project doesn't occur.” Said Musyj.  

Former MPP Dave Cooke added, “we need to have total and complete strong advocacy from the mayor's office.”

The province has provided over $9 million for the planning stage.

“I just want to deliver a message from Premier Ford that you have a government that is also in your corner and going to get this project done,” said Jones.   

The tendering process for the $2-billion is expected to start early 2025 and construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2027.