On Monday, June 19, a ground blessing ceremony was held on the site of the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital to pay respects to the territory on which the new hospital will be located. We were honoured to have Elder Della Owens from Saulteau First Nations lead the ceremony and blessing.

The morning began with Russ Beerling, Northern Health Board Member, sharing remarks about the commitment that Northern Health has to working hand in hand and side by side with the local First Nations on whose territory we are on, and in the region, to build a safe and welcoming place of healing and wellness.

Following the opening remarks, Elder Della Owens was invited to lead those in attendance through the blessing. Witnesses to the ceremony were seated in a circle and joined her with their heads lowered and hands open as she shared a prayer in Cree. Elder Della prayed and shared blessings for health of the land, for those who will build the hospital, for those who will work at the hospital, and for those who will come to the hospital for healing.

This was an important step for the project while the land was undisturbed and before construction began.

Witnesses to the ceremony included representatives from the Treaty 8 Tribal Association, Saulteau First Nations, the Peace River Regional Hospital District, the City of Dawson Creek and Graham Design Builders; as well as Northern Health's Board of Directors, Indigenous Health, and the DCDH project management team.

As the Dawson Creek & District Hospital Replacement Project progresses, we are continuing to focus on collaboration with Indigenous partners which we hope will lead to improved wellness and more positive outcomes for all people, communities and Nations in Northeast BC. Local Indigenous communities are being consulted throughout the design process to ensure that the new facility is cultural safe, welcoming, respectful and relevant.

The new Dawson Creek & District Hospital (DCDH) will be built in Treaty 8 territory, the ancestral home of the Beaver, Cree, Saulteau, Sicannie (Sikanni), and Slavey.

Northern Health acknowledges the hospital serves the communities of Blueberry River First Nation, Doig River First Nation, Fort Nelson First Nation, Halfway River First Nation, Prophet River First Nation, Saulteau First Nations, and West Moberly First Nations; as well as Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous populations within the Peace Region of Treaty 8 territory.

The Dawson Creek & District Hospital also serves the South Peace population of the Peace River Regional District.

Project status update

In the next few months, the proponent teams will submit their financial submissions for evaluation. Following the evaluation, a new preferred proponent will be selected, the Design Build Agreement will be signed, and construction will begin shortly thereafter.

Working groups update

The Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) and the Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG) have recently been formed.

These groups provide input into design aspects of the project, help ensure the facility reflects the communities it serves, and help ensure the new facility is culturally safe, welcoming, respectful and relevant. There are two different working groups in order to give our Indigenous stakeholders and partners a safe and comfortable space to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions.

Topics of discussion for the first meeting included the draft colour schemes, inspiration behind the floor themes, and allocated locations for artwork and artefacts throughout the facility.

Current membership on the CAWG is as follows:

• Better at Home
• City of Dawson Creek
• Dawson Creek Art Gallery
• Dawson Creek Chamber of Commerce
• Dawson Creek Haven Family Services
• DCDH Auxiliary
• DCDH Foundation
• Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre
• North Wind Wellness Centre
• Northern Brain Injury Association
• Northern Health Indigenous Health
• Patient Voices Network
• Peace River Regional Hospital District
• South Peace Self-Organizing Physicians Group
• South Peace Art Society
• South Peace Community Arts Council
• Square 1 for Seniors

Current membership on the IAWG is as follows:

• Fort Nelson First Nation
• Kelly Lake First Nation
• Nawican Friendship Centre
• North Wind Wellness Centre
• Northern Health Indigenous Health
• Prophet River First Nation
• Saulteau First Nations
• Treaty 8 Tribal Association
• West Moberly First Nations

Engagement update

Education and Career Fair at Saulteau First Nations

On March 9, Saulteau First Nations and the Muskoti Learning Centre hosted an education and career fair for Grade 10-12 students from Saulteau First Nations as well as students from Chetwynd Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

Approximately 100 students and teachers attended the event, which featured info booths from 25 different organizations.

Attending these events throughout the Peace Region helps us raise awareness of career and volunteer opportunities within the health care industry and allow us to share information about the new hospital being built in the South Peace.

Career Fair at Dawson Creek Secondary School

On March 15, School District 59’s Career Education Department Team hosted a career fair for Dawson Creek Secondary School – South Peace Campus students.

We were among 25 different regional companies and organizations offering career and educational information. Approximately 100 students that came through the gymnasium along with teachers and support staff.

We featured volunteer opportunities, job and career paths through the Grow Our Own program, and quick facts about the new hospital as there is an ongoing need for health care professionals in the region.

Pictured from left to right: Byron Stewart, Northeast Recruitment and Retention Ambassador; Machiel Mostert, Volunteer Resources Coordinator; Ashley Pannozzo, Community Engagement Liaison Officer

Interested in learning more?

Visit Let’s Talk DCDH

The Dawson Creek & District Hospital Replacement Project’s Let’s Talk site is our one-stop shop for everything related to the project.

By registering for the Let’s Talk DCDH site you can:

• Add comments on posts
• Share your thoughts and ideas
• Provide your input on the project
• Ask questions through the Q&A tool
• Participate in community forums and idea boards (coming soon!)

Contact us directly

Feel free to reach out directly to Ashley Pannozzo, our Community Engagement Liaison Officer, for the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Replacement Project at LetsTalkDCDH@northernhealth.ca.

On March 15, School District 59’s Career Education Department Team hosted a career fair for Dawson Creek Secondary School – South Peace Campus students.

We were among 25 different regional companies and organizations offering career and educational information. Approximately 100 students that came through the gymnasium along with teachers and support staff.

We featured volunteer opportunities, job and career paths through the Grow Our Own program, and quick facts about the new hospital as there is an ongoing need for health care professionals in the region.

On March 9, Saulteau First Nations and the Muskoti Learning Centre hosted an education and career fair for Grade 10-12 students from Saulteau First Nations as well as students from Chetwynd Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

Northern Health was invited to feature volunteer opportunities, job and career paths through the Grow Our Own promotions and information about the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital. The new facility being built in the South Peace means an ongoing need to health care professionals in the region.

Approximately 100 students and teachers attended the event, which featured info booths from 25 different organizations. The event was extremely positive for all involved and our hope is that the youth were inspired and will consider professions in health care.

Attending these events throughout the Peace Region helps us raise awareness of career and volunteer opportunities within the health care industry and allow us to share information about the new hospital being built in the South Peace.

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Northern Health is committed to receiving valuable input into design aspects of the new hospital through a mix of engagement initiatives, user consultations, committees and working groups. Engagement is a major part of Northern Health capital projects, and there will be many opportunities for input from the community as this project progresses.

The Dawson Creek and District Hospital (DCDH) Replacement Project has been supported by a Capital Advisory Committee (CAC) since October 2020. The CAC has representation from the local community, stakeholders and Indigenous representatives, and has provided guidance in relation to the project.

We have recently formed two additional sub-working groups to serve under the CAC and provide feedback and input into the design of the new hospital. The two new working groups are the Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) and the Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG). The purpose of these groups is to have a forum for members to provide input into design aspects of the project to ensure the new facility is locally and culturally safe, welcoming, respectful and relevant. The working groups inform the project to help ensure the facility reflects and supports the communities served by the Dawson Creek & District Hospital. Input and feedback gathered from all of these committees and groups is extremely valuable and we are tremendously grateful for the participation of the members.

Read the April 2023 Project Update to view the current CAWG and IAWG membership lists.

Feedback and input gathered from the working groups is filtered upwards. It first goes to the CAC, then it goes to the Project Steering Committee who, in collaboration with the Project Board, balances the complexities of a capital building project.

In addition to the CAC, IAWG, and CAWG, the project team works closely with small groups of “users” who represent their areas of expertise to gather feedback and input from a clinical point of view. The users work with the Design-Builder during User Consultation Meetings (UCM) and Special Topic Meetings (STM) to help them better understand over-arching concepts, ensure that all departments are situations correctly for the best clinical care and efficiencies and advise on standard operational best practices. Feedback and input gathered from the users is taken back to the Design-Builder for consideration and incorporation.

Project status update

Where we’re at

The project is now moving to the next step in the procurement process with the issuance of a new Request for Proposals (RFP). The Government of British Columbia and Northern Health have decided to end the Design Early Works Agreement (DEWA) and Request for Proposals (RFP) with Clark Turner Dawson Creek JV.

Throughout the new RFP process, HDR Architecture will be available to serve as the design firm for any interested proponent. Design work completed to date will still be used for the project as design continues to advance.

We’ve recently received the 60% design submission from HDR Architecture and are in the process of reviewing it and providing feedback. This feedback will be shared with the proponent teams to be incorporated into the design.

This month, we will be submitting a Stage 1 Building Permit to the City of Dawson Creek for their review. This will allow the selected proponent to begin early site construction work in the spring.

What’s next

We’re now working towards selecting a new proponent to complete and deliver the project. Over the coming months, we will be working collaboratively with the new proponent teams to review the project’s requirements and the recently submitted 60% design. There will be a series of collaborative meetings to help them understand the project and answer any questions before a final decision is made.

We’re also working closely with HDR Architecture to provide feedback on the 60% design submission. This feedback along with the proponents’ feedback will be incorporated into an updated set of project requirements.

In the spring, the proponent teams will submit their financial submissions for evaluation. Following the evaluation, we anticipate announcing the new preferred proponent and signing the Design Build Agreement (DBA). Once the DBA is signed, construction will begin shortly after. The final design work will also be starting which will include another round of user consultation meetings in the summer and a third round of mock-ups on site.

Engagement activities

DCDH Foundation: Donor Appreciation Reception

In November, the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Foundation held a Donor Appreciation Reception at Our Social Collective, a local co-working space in downtown Dawson Creek, which the Project Management Office (PMO) was happy to support.

Approximately forty donors, community leaders and stakeholders joined members of the Foundation Board of Directors in an afternoon to celebrate the generosity of the community and meet the new Foundation Executive Director.

Those in attendance were treated to a presentation about the Dawson Creek & District Hospital Replacement Project from the project’s Community Engagement Liaison Officer, Ashley Pannozzo, and Northern Health Vice President, Communications & Public Relations, Steve Raper. The guests were very involved with the conversation and asked pertinent and insightful questions.

The DCDH Foundation’s Executive Director, Heather Kohler says “The Foundation was delighted to partner with Northern Health for this event which provided the opportunity for some of our most committed donors to engage with Northern Health in a valuable face-to-face setting.”

Community and Indigenous Advisory Working Groups

In December, we reached out to local community stakeholders, Indigenous communities and other interested and impacted parties to invite them to join the Community and/or Indigenous Advisory Working Groups. The purpose of these working groups is to give the members an opportunity to provide feedback and share their input into the hospital design to ensure that the new facility is welcoming, relevant and respectful.

Input gathered from these working groups goes to the Capital Advisory Committee (CAC) and then to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee works in collaboration with the Project Board to examine the feedback and determine how to incorporate it into the project as appropriate.

Collectively, the working groups will have the opportunity to provide advice relating to the project on local and community considerations, patient experiences, relevant and welcoming design, artwork and signage, and other areas of interest.

For more information

Dawson Creek and District Hospital Let’s Talk

Let’s Talk is our one-stop shop for updates related to the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Replacement Project as well as contact us with questions or suggestions on the project.

Dawson Creek and District Hospital Let’s Talk

Contact us directly

For questions, feedback, or to get added to the distribution list for these updates, feel free to reach out directly to Ashley Pannozzo, our Community Engagement Liaison Officer, for the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Replacement Project at LetsTalkDCDH@northernhealth.ca.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Apply for the Indigenous Working Group here: Member, Indigenous Working Group, Dawson Creek Hospital Replacement Project - Patient Voices Network (patientvoicesbc.ca)

The deadline to apply is January 20, 2023.

We're building a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Dawson Creek and are looking for two patient partners and/or community representatives to join the Indigenous Working Group. If you would like to provide input into the design of the new hospital, this could be the opportunity for you!

The purpose of this working group is for community members and patient partners to provide feedback and share their input into the hospital design to ensure that the new facility in Dawson Creek is culturally safe, respectful, welcoming, and relevant.

We respect, value and seek an opportunity to engage with Indigenous patient partners in the spirit of reciprocity. It is with humbleness and humility that we recognize and value the importance of understanding how the hospital replacement project can meet the needs of Indigenous patients and their families.

This opportunity is at the level of involve on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will involve patients in planning and design phases to ensure ideas or concerns are considered and reflected in alternatives and recommendations.

Eligibility

Open to Indigenous patient partners and community members from Dawson Creek, Chetwynd and/or Tumbler Ridge and surrounding areas who:

• Have experience of accessing health care services at Dawson Creek and District Hospital (DCDH) within the last 12 months
• Previous working group experience is an asset but not required
• Are comfortable sharing experiences in a group environment
• Are comfortable attending online meetings via Zoom or MS Teams

As connection and relationship building is important to Northern Health, informal meet & greets will form part of the selection process for short listed patient partners/community members.

Logistics

• Number of vacancies: 2-3
• Date and Time:
  • The first meeting of the Indigenous Working Group is scheduled for February 2023 – exact date TBD.
  • Meetings will occur on a quarterly basis (every 3 months) and will last for approximately 1 hour.
  • We anticipate having meetings in February, May, August, and November.
  • There may be times when an ad hoc meeting is required based on needs and short deadlines from the project team
• Location: Online meetings via Zoom or MS Teams, with the possibility of in-person meetings
• Commitment: 12 months with the possibility of an extension

Reimbursement
No out of pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria, but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Cassy Mitchell cmitchell@bcpsqc.ca to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.

If travel is required to attend any in-person meetings, then travel related costs such as mileage will be reimbursed as per Northern Health’s travel reimbursement policy.

Background
Approximately 15-20 representatives from local organizations and groups will be part of this working group. This includes the Treaty 8 First Nations, Nawican Friendship Centre, Aboriginal Family Services, Northern Health Indigenous Health, Northeast Metis Association, Moccasin Flats Metis Association North Wind Wellness Centre and more.

The Indigenous Working Group will work in conjunction with the DCDH Community Working Group, which is also in the process of being formed.

Sub-groups with members from both of these groups may be formed to focus on specific topics such as artwork, language, wayfinding, etc.

Our aim is for the group to have a wide range of representatives who have different experiences and access health care in unique ways.

The Terms of Reference for the Indigenous Working Group will be posted on the DCDH Replacement Let’s Talk website when they are finalized.