THUNDER BAY – The delayed mental health wing expansion to St. Joseph’s Hospital is about one month away from being operational.
St. Joseph’s Care Group chief executive officer Tracy Buckler said the 100,000 square foot addition is nearing its final stages.
“We’re looking into April, May to be able to relocate,” Buckler said. “We need to get substantial completion so we get occupancy permits, things like that. We are getting to the end point now.”
Last summer Buckler had said she anticipated the facility to be opened by the end of 2017. At that time, Buckler said the contract date was October but there had been issues with the contractor securing required materials.
That target was revised in January, with the anticipation patients would begin being moved in March.
Construction of the $52 million project began in 2015 and was marked by a ground breaking ceremony where Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the province would cover 90 per cent of the facility’s capital cost.
The addition will have 38 inpatient mental health rehabilitation beds that are currently operating out of the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital site. The organization last week opened its Health Centre South in Victoriaville, which is home to a number of outpatient programs that had been previously located at the psychiatric hospital.
