Hamilton General to add 8,500 sq ft ER after $25M provincial investment

What happened

• Groundbreaking started on an expanded emergency department at Hamilton General Hospital, funded by a $25 million provincial investment.
• Construction contract awarded to Chart Construction; the project is expected to be completed by 2030.

What will change

• 8,500 additional square feet of emergency space.
• Larger ambulance off‑loading area, new triage/rapid assessment and observation area, upgraded resuscitation area, more treatment rooms, nursing stations, and improved sightlines.
• Enhanced infection prevention and control, including airborne isolation rooms, and better patient navigation to reduce wait times.

By the numbers (from the release)

• More than 50,000 emergency visits per year at Hamilton General.
• Hospital serves a regional population of about 2.5 million people.
• Project is part of a provincial plan to invest about $64 billion in over 50 major hospital projects over the next 10 years (including about 3,000 new hospital beds).

Why it matters

• The expansion aims to increase emergency capacity, improve patient flow, speed up life‑saving treatment, and reduce waits for people in Hamilton and the surrounding region.