BC Gov News

The new Cowichan District Hospital will include the following:

• Mental-health services will be brought up to date with a 20-bed inpatient psychiatry unit with access to secure outdoor space and a four-bed psychiatric intensive care unit.
• There will be a new birthing unit with a capacity for 10 obstetrics beds and a nursery for families and new moms as well as space for mothers to give birth and to stay in the same room with their infants until they are discharged.
• A new special-care nursery will enable babies requiring additional care to remain at the hospital rather than having to go elsewhere for specialized care.
• The pediatric unit will have eight beds, four of which can be used to provide care to pediatric mental-health and substance-use patients. This is double the pediatric beds in the current hospital and will help families avoid a drive to Nanaimo or Victoria when they need access to these important services for children and youth.
• The new facility will continue to offer Hospital at Home as well, which started in Cowichan in April 2024, and will provide an innovative acute-care model.

Chief Cindy Daniels, Cowichan Tribes –

"I raise my hands to the crews that have gotten the Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project to this construction milestone. Huy tseep q'u (thank you) for your hard yaays (work). The placement of this beam signed by the workers on the top floor is a wonderful way to commemorate each person’s contribution to this much-needed new health-care infrastructure.”

Aaron Stone, chair, Cowichan Valley Regional District –

“On behalf of all people of Cowichan and our board of directors, I am very excited for what this new facility will mean in advancing our shared goals in improving health services for our region. The increase in accessible and specialized care to be offered will significantly decrease the need to travel outside of Cowichan for critical health services. The inclusivity of Indigenous health practices and culturally sensitive supports is a major step towards advancing reconciliation with the many nations that will benefit from the new Cowichan district hospital. We are thankful for this critical investment in health care, excited for this key milestone and look forward to the opening with great anticipation.”

David Robertson, chair, Cowichan District Hospital Foundation –

“We are inspired by the amazing work being done to make Cowichan’s new hospital a reality. The foundation is proud to support this project, ensuring that patients and staff have access to the best possible medical equipment that will help facilitate the highest level of health services and care for our community. Congratulations to all involved in this monumental project!”

Shane Czypyha, principal, Parkin Architects –

“At Parkin, we are deeply committed to patient and people-focused design, a lesson reinforced by our work at the future Cowichan district hospital. Through humility, cultural sensitivity and inclusivity, we engaged staff, patients and local Indigenous communities, to build trust and meet diverse needs. By actively listening and collaborating, we believe that we’ve contributed to the creation of a healing environment that honours cultural traditions, fosters a sense of belonging and ultimately enhances care quality.”

Sean Dekoning, senior vice-president and area manager, EllisDon –

“We are tremendously proud of reaching this milestone, and our team’s contributions to the Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project. This is a vital step toward building a hospital providing integrated health services with special considerations to the diverse health, community and cultural needs of the broader Cowichan region. As part of the alliance, we look forward to delivering a hospital that puts patients first.”

Jeff Good, vice-president, projects and corporate affairs, Infrastructure BC; and chair, Nuts’a’maat​ Alliance leadership team –

“Seeing the Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project progress from procurement into construction is incredibly rewarding. Nuts’a’maat Alliance partners, which includes Infrastructure BC, continue to work effectively to deliver a world-class hospital that will serve the people of Cowichan Valley for decades.”

Irene Kerr, president and CEO, BC Infrastructure Benefits –

“The Province’s vision in creating a model for equitable hiring practices for under-represented and local workers is being realized through priority hiring on this project. The hospital is being built by Vancouver Island locals for their community. Workers receive Indigenous cultural competency training, and this is the province’s first construction project to provide an onsite Indigenous coach and cultural advisor to support both Indigenous and non-Indigenous workers.”