Throughout British Columbia billions of dollars are being invested in new hospitals, upgrades and renovations, and 2012 was no exception.

"We are building better patient care in all corners of our province," said Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid. "By investing in modern health care facilities we are ensuring a strong future that benefits both the health professionals who work in them and the patients and their families who rely on them."

In 2012, plans for redevelopment or replacement were announced for a number of hospitals including:

• Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment.
• Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Hospital replacement.
• St. Paul's Hospital redevelopment.
• Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre replacement in Burns Lake.
• North Island Hospitals project for two new hospitals in Comox and Campbell River.
• Phase 1 of the Royal Inland Hospital redevelopment in Kamloops.

Additionally, in 2012, the ministry announced plans for major renovations and additions, including more acute care beds in the Polson Tower at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, a new mental-health facility at Vancouver General Hospital and a medical learning and development centre at University Hospital of Northern British Columbia.

Celebrations in the past year also marked a number of construction milestones. These included the opening of the sixth cancer centre in the province in Prince George, the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North; the opening of the new Fort St. John Hospital and Peace Villa; the opening of the new emergency department at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and the completion of the Centennial Building at Kelowna General Hospital.

Other health capital milestones included the opening of the clinical services building as part of phase 1 in the redevelopment of the BC Children's and Women's Hospitals. A topping-off event also took place at the critical care tower being built at Surrey Memorial Hospital to coincide with the one-year countdown to the opening of the new emergency department that will be five times the size of the current facility. The Interior Heart and Surgical Centre in Kelowna also made progress with the start of construction.

Since 2001, more than $7 billion has been spent on capital projects in British Columbia. Over the next three years, British Columbia's health care system will continue to benefit from investments such as new medical equipment and modernized health facilities as part of a $2.3-billion health sector capital plan.

High-quality video clips for media use are available here: http://sendtonews.com?SK=FhbEXI3veH

More information, including maps on where health capital projects are taking place, is available here: www.health.gov.bc.ca/cpa/mediasite/building-patient-care/

Media Contact:

Ryan Jabs, Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)