Cariboo Memorial Hospital's renovation and expansion is one step closer to becoming a reality after Health Minister Terry Lake announced the government is supporting planning to redevelop the 54-year-old facility.
"The concept plan has an estimate of between $80 and $100 million, but we've got to get down to the business plan before we can refine that," Lake told reporters Thursday at Deni House in Williams Lake. "That's where we will talk to the physicians, the nursing staff, the community, First Nations and determine exactly how many rooms, how big will the pharmacy be, all of those things that come into the plan."
Lake said it is anticipated the business plan could begin in the fall of 2017 and take from a year to 18 months to complete, followed by construction.
"Our 400-plus employees work in some challenging conditions each and every day," said Interior Health board member Tammy Tugnum. "It is still early days as this is a process, but at least we are taking that step forward."
Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital Board Chair Margo Wagner thanked Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett and Cariboo-North Coralee Oakes for being "vocal and loud" proponents of the project.
"This has been a long-time coming, but it's exciting to see the ministry and Interior Health move one step closer today," Wagner said, noting 40 per cent of the capital funding for the refit will come from the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital Board in the form of hospital taxation. "I look forward to the day when we will have shovels in the ground."
Dr. Glenn Fedor has worked in Williams Lake for 36 years and said at the time the hospital had 87 beds and was a "pretty modern facility."
"The medical staff is excited to hear we are moving forward in the next step," Fedor said. "An updated facility will help to meet the health care needs of the community."