(GNB - Fredericton) February 17, 2016 - The provincial government will invest $2.5 million in design and engineering work for an expansion to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton.

"Our government is committed to making the necessary choices to ensure New Brunswickers have access to the highest quality health-care services possible," said Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Stephen Horsman.

Horsman was speaking on behalf of Health Minister Victor Boudreau.

"This expansion to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital is one of our priority capital projects, and we are keen to regain the momentum on this file," said John McGarry, president and CEO of Horizon Health Network. "This investment is a first step toward tackling one of our aging facilities and it contributes to the delivery of safe, high-quality health-care services overall."

Design and engineering work are the first phases of a multi-million dollar expansion at the hospital.

The project consists of constructing a three-storey addition of about 14,860 square metres (160,000 square ft.) and renovating about 9,300 square metres (100,000 square ft.) on the first three floors of the existing building.

The addition will house:

• a new surgical suite;

• a recovery room;

• a day surgery unit;

• an intensive care unit;

• an ambulatory procedures unit;

• a gynecology, maternal and newborn unit;

• a central sterile reprocessing unit (instrument cleaning);

• a specimen collection unit; and

• clinical records.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Stephanie Neilson, communications, Horizon Health Network, 1-877-499-1899.
Bruce Macfarlane, communications, Department of Health, 506-444-4583.