Start of construction on south Edmonton Hospital delayed again

An empty field and a sign are all that indicates where construction should have started for the south Edmonton Hospital.

Site preparation started in 2021 but has been put on hold by the provincial government again, this time with no start or end dates listed.

The NDP says around 20 per cent of the total cost of the building has already been spent on preparations, with seemingly nothing to show for it.

According to the opposition party leader Rachel Notley, both federal and provincial governments have let down Albertans by not investing enough in healthcare and facilities.

“Health care across Canada is in crisis, and so we need the federal government to commit to changing their participation in a qualitative way to support provinces as they seek to rebuild health care,” said Notley.

“This project is critical to add capacity and end the chaos in Alberta healthcare. I am committing that a future Alberta NDP Government will make the completion of this hospital a priority and we will build it to the size and provide the healthcare services needed to meet the needs of residents in Edmonton and surrounding regions.”

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“Countless hours have gone into getting the Edmonton South Hospital built, and yet there is no clear future for the hospital under the UCP government,” said Rod Loyola, Alberta NDP Infrastructure Critic. “While the UCP continues to fail the families in the Edmonton region and ignores their healthcare needs, our leader, our candidates and our party are ready to stand up for them. We cannot afford to keep delaying this critically needed hospital.”

Edmonton has not seen a new hospital in the city limits since the Grey Nuns Community Hospital opened in 1988. But with the population growth in South Edmonton, there aren’t enough resources and infrastructure for the large increase in population, meaning that families have to travel to hospitals in Devon, Leduc or the Grey Nuns for medical emergencies.

“The empty field in the heart of my riding clearly shows the failures of Danielle Smith and the UCP Government,” said Rhiannon Hoyle, Alberta NDP Candidate for Edmonton-South. “South Edmonton has been my home for over 18 years and I know how vital healthcare and this hospital are to this constituency. I hear it all the time. People can’t find a family doctor, they are worried that an ambulance will not come when they need one and so many are waiting months and months for needed surgeries.”

CityNews reached out to the provincial government on plans to speed up the completion of the hospital. The province responded by saying, “The previous government irresponsibly put this project in its capital plan before the business case for the project was complete. This is like building a house without financing or blueprints in place.”

The province added the hospital project is in the final stages of its review, noting $52 million has been spent so far.

“Currently, initial site-servicing activities are ongoing and include the following: Hiring a contractor to prepare the site, integrity testing, pipeline surveys, and installation of infrastructure for water, sewer, natural gas and electrical services,” the statement continued. “When complete, the hospital will increase access and capacity to necessary health services and programs in Edmonton and surrounding communities.”