GRH and St. Mary’s join forces for new hospital infrastructure in K-W

After the provincial government announced they would be investing $5 million to support hospital infrastructure, two local hospitals are now working together to “build the future of care.” 

St. Mary's General Hospital and Grand River Hospital announced Wednesday they are collaborating on a new project to build new hospital infrastructure in K-W. Through this new project, called “Building the Future of Care Together,” they will “plan for the future of hospital-based services to meet the needs of the growing community of Waterloo Region and Beyond.”

“The people in our hospitals provide excellent patient care, but we have outgrown our aging buildings,” said CEO and President of Grand River Hospital Ron Gagnon in a news release. “As our community continues to grow, the pressure and overcrowding at our hospitals will only increase – unless we build for the future. We need new and expanded facilities that leverage the innovation and technology available in our region to look to the future, break boundaries and meet the needs of our growing communities.”

“Our organizations have a shared vision to build a new hospital, improve aging infrastructure and create a connected health system for our communities and our teams,” said Sherri Ferguson, Interim President of St. Mary’s General Hospital.  “A health care system of the future requires something new and shared, building on our respective pasts to create a stronger, healthier future for our communities.”

After consultations with staff, community members, and health system partners like the Cambridge Memorial Hospital and the KW4 Ontario Health Team, the two hospitals submitted a joint proposal to the government for the following:

• A new state-of-the-art hospital in the region
• Renewing and repurposing the existing GRH building in mid-town Kitchener as an ambulatory and urgent care centre
• Renewing the Freeport Campus for modernized and expanded rehabilitation capacity 

All suggested sites would be shared by both GRH and St. Mary's, 

This planning will cause no disruption to patient care, as both hospitals will continue to operate in their current space while the planning goes on. 

The location and plans for a new, joint hospital will be determined at a later date after further consultations are completed.

You can learn more about the Future of Care project here.