Staff and physicians at Mills Memorial Hospital were treated to cake on Wednesday, June 22, to celebrate one year of construction of the new hospital. The construction site was also unusually quiet over the lunch hour, as PCL treated workers on site to a catered meal from the popular Terrace food truck Redneck Kitchen, for the anniversary.

One of four cakes celebrating one year of project construction.

Longtime Northern Health employee Patrick Sharyk enjoys a slice.

Administrative Assistant Nicole Demedeiros serves a piece of the action to cafeteria worker Lora Gogag.

Workers on the new Mills Memorial Hospital construction site take a break to enjoy a free catered lunch, courtesy of PCL, celebrating one year of construction .

We understand people are looking for support when it comes to problematic substance use in the area, and Terrace does not currently have a dedicated treatment centre. However, this is not part of the MMH replacement project.

Hospitals mainly focus on acute care, which is care for short-term needs. A treatment centre does not fit into this environment.

Northern Health, however, and many other organizations including non-profits and community groups, do play a part in supporting those with substance use and mental health issues in Terrace and surrounding communities. Some groups, with Northern Health’s support, are taking steps to set up a local treatment centre.

At Mills Memorial Hospital, two in-patient treatment beds are prioritized for the medical management of withdrawal from alcohol. Two beds will be prioritized for this in the new hospital too. Patients experiencing withdrawal symptoms or who have overdosed can also access acute care at the Mills Memorial Hospital – now and at the new one.

If any patients who receive care at the hospital request information and access to harm reduction and treatment programs, staff will provide them with information and support individuals to access services.

People who are experiencing problematic substance use may also have concurrent mental health disorders. In some circumstances, if a person requires further stabilization and support for the treatment of an acute mental health presentation, following medical stabilization, admission to the acute psychiatry unit in Mills Memorial Hospital may be necessary for further assessment, consultation, and treatment.

Currently the hospital has 10 acute psychiatric inpatient adult beds that serve Northwest BC. The new hospital will have 20 psychiatric inpatient adult beds.

The current Seven Sisters facility has 20 beds. The new Seven Sisters will have 25 beds.

Recovery is a very personal journey and can look different for each person. A variety of supports and services are available in the area to support people experiencing problematic substance use. Northern Health teams focus on supporting people wherever they are at in their wellness journey.

Check out what the site looked like a year ago today, when construction had not even begun. What a difference!

Here and Now

• The last concrete slab for the new hospital was poured on June 2, 2022; in the construction industry, this exciting milestone is referred to as ‘structural completion’.
• Work has begun on the fourth floor; the new hospital will have five floors in total, including the basement.
• Interior mechanical and electrical work has started in the basement of the new hospital.
• The roof is on the new facilities maintenance garage, a steel structure on the southwest corner of the new facility, behind the current emergency department.
• The storm and sanitary branches, which will manage the new hospital’s storm water and sewage, are complete.
• Roughly 41% of workers currently on site are local (live in Terrace) or regional (commute from surrounding communities to the site).
• More than 80 local businesses have been contracted to date to perform a range of duties.
• Recently released What We Heard booklet, which responds to common feedback and questions about the project.

Going forward

• Construction of the new Seven Sisters is set to begin this summer and will last at least one year; We will also share the final design of the new site once it is complete.
• Terrace’s skyline will go back to normal this fall as the tower cranes will be removed from the site.
• By the end of the year, the exterior building envelope should be complete.
• Majority of site work this winter and going forward will be inside the building.

Project Completion

Overall, the project is is expected to be complete in the summer of 2026. The “substantial completion” date, however, is scheduled for September 2024.

Substantial completion is the point when Northern Health will take possession of the new hospital and continue work towards getting the facility ready for patient use. After that, the current facility will need be decommissioned and demolished, and the landscaping and parking will also need to be completed.

Looking up the mast of the tower crane from it’s base. Placing concrete in concrete form with crane and bucket.

Reinforcing steel and embedded electrical and mechanical components.

Installing open web joists for the facilities maintenance garage.

East side of the new facility.

Large concrete pours will take place on the Mills Memorial Hospital construction site from Tuesday, May 30 toThursday, June 2. Workers will be on site past 7 PM and into the night.

Most concrete work on the Mills Memorial Hospital construction site is completed throughout the day. However, when large pours take place, it is sometimes necessary to work longer hours to finish the concrete.

We apologize for any noise in advance.

The new Mills Memorial Hospital will be more than double the size of the current facility – approximately 356,500 square feet across five floors! Patients and visitors will mainly access floors 1, 2 and 3.

Here's a breakdown of all five floors:

• Level 0 (Basement) – Support floor
  • Houses facilities and maintenance department, food services, support services, biomedical engineering, data center, the warehouse, and the morgue
    
    
• Level 1 (Ground/Main floor) – Medical floor
  • Houses main lobby, emergency department, ambulatory care clinic, cancer care, renal care, laboratory services, diagnostic imaging, intensive care unit, and pharmacy.
    
    
• Level 2 – Medical floor
  • Houses surgical services, staff facilities, education hub, administration, health information management services, and psychiatry.
    
    
• Level 3 – Medical/Surgical floor
  • Houses two medical/surgical units, rehabilitation, allied health, and maternity and labour delivery.
    
    
• Level 4 – Support floor
  • Houses mechanical systems, such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and other systems.

The number of beds at the hospital are also increasing from 44 to 78, while Treatment spaces in the emergency department are increasing from 10 to 20, and beds in the new Seven Sisters facility are increasing from 20 to 25.

Check out the layout for the first four floors. (Level 5 mainly houses mechanical equipment therefore a layout is not provided.)

Large concrete pours will take place on the Mills Memorial Hospital construction site Friday, May 6 and Tuesday, May 10. Workers will be on site past 7 PM and into the night.

Most concrete work on the Mills Memorial Hospital construction site is completed throughout the day. However, when large pours take place, it is sometimes necessary to work longer hours to finish the concrete.

We apologize for any noise in advance.

In the fall of 2021 the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project released draft designs of the new hospital and Seven Sisters facilities currently under construction in Terrace, BC. We asked for your thoughts and if you had any questions.

It’s time to share what we heard and answer some of the questions we received.

Check out the MMH What We Heard: Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement Project Feedback and Questions booklet.

Hint! You gave us feedback and insightful questions on all kinds of topics – including whether the new hospital will have a café, a bigger emergency department, bike racks, regional art, lights that kills bacteria and viruses, and much more.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the designs. Your feedback will help the new Mills Memorial Hospital do the best possible job of serving the people of Northwest BC.

The new hospital will offer a smoother, safer and more welcoming patient journey, as well as support the recruitment and retention of much-needed health care workers.