Province announces $28 million for new emergency room at Brantford hospital

The entrance to Brantford General Hospital is seen in a file photo. (CTV Kitchener)

The provincial government has announced it will provide up to $28.4 million toward major upgrades and renovations to Brantford General Hospital's emergency room.

In a news release Tuesday, the provincial government said the funding will cover 87 per cent of the total project cost.

“Revitalizing the Brantford General Hospital has been a top priority for me and for the Government of Ontario since day one of our first term,” Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma said in the release.

The redevelopment will include the construction of new treatment bays and rooms, an extended stay area, a mental health emergency suite with safe rooms and an observation area, upgrades to the emergency room’s arrival area and the renovation of the ambulance off-loading zone, the government said.

A new Indigenous services suite will also be added beside the emergency department as part of the project.

“This project will ensure that BCHS will continue to appropriately support the people of Brantford, County of Brant, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and surrounding areas, by ensuring that patient services are delivered to the best standards of exceptional, patient-centred, and culturally appropriate care,” Brant Community Healthcare System interim CEO Erin Sleeth said in the release.

The Brant County Community Healthcare System said it plans to begin construction on the new emergency room this fall. It’s targeting 2026 for completion.

The emergency room will remain open during the redevelopment.