As Kitchener’s two main hospitals work towards building a third, they have launched a new survey seeking input from community members on the potential location for a new hospital.
Grand River and St. Mary’s General hospitals have put together a site selection panel which is asking for input from the community as well as from all those involved as it puts together a list of criteria to guide the search for a hospital site.
The survey, which is open to the public until August 3, asks a few questions about accessibility and amenities as well as parking and location for a new hospital.
A release from the hospitals says that the panel is expected to make recommendations on a location by the end of the year with the survey noting that a new location is not expected to be chosen until the end of March 2024.
In the spring of 2022, the province gave the two hospitals $5 million to begin planning for a third hospital in the area as the rapidly-expanding region is expected to grow by a third over the next 20 years.
A couple of months later, GRH and SMGH said they had submitted a proposal to the Ontario government for the new hospital.
In addition to building a new hospital, they are also looking to turn Gran River Hospital into an ambulatory and urgent care centre while also increasing the rehabliation capabilities of the Freeport Campus.
They have also noted that it could take years for the hospital to open its doors.
Back in March, the hospitals announced that it had begun the process of looking for a new hospital site by choosing a selection committee.