The Saskatchewan government has awarded PCL Construction with a nearly $1 billion contract to build a new tower at the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert. The province announced the $898 million contract on Thursday, which includes design and construction of a new acute care tower directly north of the existing hospital facility. The expansion is expected to increase the hospital’s capacity from 173 to 242 beds. The new tower will include a heliport on the roof, an expanded emergency department, larger operating rooms, pediatrics, maternity, NICU, new medical imaging and a First Nations and Métis cultural space. "The Victoria Hospital project is a significant investment in Prince Albert and surrounding area and will go a long way to accommodate the growing needs of the northern communities it serves," Health Minister Everett Hindley said in a Feb. 1 news release. Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne celebrated the development in his state of the city address on Friday. He says it will bring 500 new specialized jobs to the city, expanding the community population. SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister Joe Hargrave said it’s the “largest single investment, private or government, in the history of Prince Albert. “This hospital will bring expanded and state of the art service to Prince Albert and the north and will benefit all of Saskatchewan upon completion.” The design-build agreement includes an option to retain PCL for future renovations to the existing facility, according to the Ministry of Health. Construction of the tower is slated to begin in the spring, and is expected to be complete by 2028.
