Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement - Terrace, BC
Project Overview
We are building a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Terrace, BC, to address current and future patient care needs in Northwest BC. More than double the size of the existing facility (approximately 356,500 square feet), the new hospital will be a centre for trauma services, orthopedic surgeries, pathology, radiology, and pharmacy services. Similar to now, the hospital will also be a training site for medical students in the Northern Medical Program.
A new hospital will…
- Benefit patients and families
- Benefit physicians and staff
- Strengthen existing services
- Offer new and expanded services
- Strengthen the regional network of health-care services
- IncreaseContinue reading
Project Overview
We are building a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Terrace, BC, to address current and future patient care needs in Northwest BC. More than double the size of the existing facility (approximately 356,500 square feet), the new hospital will be a centre for trauma services, orthopedic surgeries, pathology, radiology, and pharmacy services. Similar to now, the hospital will also be a training site for medical students in the Northern Medical Program.
A new hospital will…
- Benefit patients and families
- Benefit physicians and staff
- Strengthen existing services
- Offer new and expanded services
- Strengthen the regional network of health-care services
- Increase access to care, closer to home, for all Northwest BC residents
- Support recruitment, retention and engagement of health care workers
- Bring local economic benefits
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Ground Blessing Ceremony
Share Ground Blessing Ceremony on Facebook Share Ground Blessing Ceremony on Twitter Share Ground Blessing Ceremony on Linkedin Email Ground Blessing Ceremony linkOn May 31, 2021, a ground blessing ceremony took place before construction started on the new Mills Memorial Hospital. Check out a video about the ceremony here.
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Raven's nest inactive; more trees to be cleared
Share Raven's nest inactive; more trees to be cleared on Facebook Share Raven's nest inactive; more trees to be cleared on Twitter Share Raven's nest inactive; more trees to be cleared on Linkedin Email Raven's nest inactive; more trees to be cleared linkThe trees on the northeast corner of the Mills Memorial Hospital site, the corner of Tetrault Street and Keith Avenue, will be cleared today and tomorrow, June 10 and 11.
Most trees on the site have already been cleared to prepare for the construction of a new hospital, but this patch, behind the Seven Sisters facility, was left to protect a raven who had nested there.
A sweep this morning by Triton Environmental Consultants, however, said the area is now "inactive", and that "no other bird nests or nesting behaviour were observed during the survey."
One woodpecker nest remains on the site, in the Northeast corner, in a patch of trees that will also need to be cleared once the nest is inactive.
A Northern Flicker also has a nest in a row of trees between Tetrault Street and the Mills Memorial hospital parking lot.
Work continues in the exciting anticipation of the construction of a new hospital starting soon.
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Prep work to begin on site
Share Prep work to begin on site on Facebook Share Prep work to begin on site on Twitter Share Prep work to begin on site on Linkedin Email Prep work to begin on site linkAs of Thursday, May 27, local residents can expect to see some activity on the Mills Memorial Hospital site. This activity is in preparation for the potential construction of a new Mills Memorial Hospital and Seven Sisters Facility in Terrace.
This week, delivery trucks will be bringing equipment and materials to the site. Starting next week, some contractors will be on site, and trucks will begin to come and go regularly.
The main traffic flow has most work vehicles accessing the site from Tetrault Street and exiting onto Haugland Avenue. Traffic in the neighbourhood may increase slightly, but is not expected to be significant.
Parking at the hospital should not be impacted at this time.
General work hours will be from 7am to 6pm, seven days a week.
Note that for this project, the City of Terrace granted an exemption to bylaw NO. 2100-2016, which regulates, prohibits, and imposes requirements on noise. So that the project can be completed faster, the exemption allows for activity on site seven days a week.
While a design build agreement for the construction of the new Mills Memorial Hospital is still in the works, we are managing the project to ensure no delay should construction proceed.
Stay tuned for more updates!
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Working groups created to give input
Share Working groups created to give input on Facebook Share Working groups created to give input on Twitter Share Working groups created to give input on Linkedin Email Working groups created to give input linkThe Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project is moving towards the final stages of procurement. Northern Health is in late-stage negotiations with a potential proponent to enter into a Design-Build Agreement. Once this agreement in place, the proponent will lead the complete design and construction of the new hospital.
Design to Date
The design of the new hospital is ongoing. Over the last year, several rounds of meetings have taken place between the proponent, MMH project team members, and facility user groups. The most recent meetings took place in February 2021 and the next round will be at the end of May.
In the meetings, physicians and staff advise on essential and standard operational and clinical design elements, and raise concerns and offer suggestions based on best practices. These meetings are essential for the bidder to be able to draft a basic design and move through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process that leads to a final agreement.
To date, the design of the hospital is approximately 60% complete, based on:
- Best practices
- Business plan
- Statement of requirements
- Services offered
- Site and location
- Local population
- Department workflows and functions
- Cultural considerations
- Clinical and operational staff input
- Indigenous, community and stakeholder input
- Budget
Working Groups created for Indigenous & community Input
Since 2018, a Capital Advisory Committee, made up of local community, stakeholder and Indigenous representatives, has provided guidance in relation to project engagement. We are in the process of forming two working groups to serve under this committee and give input into the project.
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MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG)
The purpose of the MMH Indigenous Advisory Working Group (IAWG) is to have a table for Indigenous input into design aspects of the project. The group, made up of local Indigenous and Métis Nation representatives, will provide input pertaining to considerations unique to Indigenous culture and practices to ensure the new facility is culturally safe, welcoming, respectful and relevant. The IAWG had its first two meetings at the end of April 2021. (Terms of Reference for the IAWG are available in the Documents section of this site.)
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Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG)
The second working group, the Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG), will include broad community representation and is in development. The purpose of this group will be to provide input into design aspects of the project to ensure the new facility is locally and culturally respectful and relevant.
Future Engagement
After a proponent is announced, the MMH project team will initiate more general staff, community and stakeholder engagement. This includes sharing more detailed information, as well as seeking commentary and feedback.
Register for Let’s Talk Northern Health!
Due to current restrictions, a lot of our engagement will be virtual. This site Let’s Talk Northern Health is an online platform for sharing project information and gathering ideas and feedback. We invite you to check out the Let’s Talk Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project page.
Right now, we are asking some questions on the project page. We invite you to register for the site and share your thoughts. Over the course of the project, we will regularly post project updates, images, documents and engagement opportunities related to the project. This site will be where the most current project information is.
Note! Anyone can go to the Let’s Talk site and Mills project page. But to participate and post on the site, or ask a question, you must register.
Get in Touch
Email: letstalkMMH@northernhealth.ca
Or register and post a comment or question on the Let’s Talk Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project page
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New view from Sande Overpass
Share New view from Sande Overpass on Facebook Share New view from Sande Overpass on Twitter Share New view from Sande Overpass on Linkedin Email New view from Sande Overpass linkA significant number of trees were recently cleared on Northern Health’s Mills Memorial Hospital site. Northern Health felled hazard trees for public safety. We also cleared necessary trees to ensure the construction of a new hospital could happen as soon as possible. While a design build agreement for the construction of a new Mills Memorial Hospital is still in the works, we are managing the project to ensure no delay.
At this time of year, birds start nesting. Once a bird has nested in a tree, legally, to protect the bird and the nest, one cannot cut down that tree or those nearby. Clearing trees now will prevent potential bird nesting, which could have delayed the clearing of trees later, and as a result, delayed the start of construction. Any delay to construction, minor or major, would add significant costs to the project.
Please be assured that plans for the new hospital include significant landscaping and revegetation.
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Presentation to NW Regional Hospital District Board
Share Presentation to NW Regional Hospital District Board on Facebook Share Presentation to NW Regional Hospital District Board on Twitter Share Presentation to NW Regional Hospital District Board on Linkedin Email Presentation to NW Regional Hospital District Board linkOn Friday, March 19, 2021, Northern Health gave a project update to the North West Regional Hospital District (NWRHD) Board. NWRHD is contributing $113.7 million to the project cost.
Ciro Panessa (Chief Operating Officer, Northwest Health Service Delivery Area) and Michael Hoefer (Regional Director, Capital Planning and Support Services) presented a powerpoint that included a project timeline, as well as information about the new, proposed facility.
Download a copy of the presentation here.
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Final stages of procurement
Share Final stages of procurement on Facebook Share Final stages of procurement on Twitter Share Final stages of procurement on Linkedin Email Final stages of procurement linkWorking towards a Design Build Agreement
The MMH Replacement project is in the last stage of the procurement process. The procurement process started in May 2019 when the BC Government announced the approval of the business plan for Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project. Since then, we've worked through the following phases of the procurement process.
- Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
- Resulted in only one qualified bidder
- Resulted in only one qualified bidder
- Modified Request for Proposals (RFP)
- Design and financial negotiations happen in parallel
- Significant oversight from the Province and the Project Board, which consists of senior executives from the Ministry of Health, health authority representatives and other stakeholders.
- Project Board Final Approval
- Financial Close => Design Build Agreement (We are here!)
The final proponent will be formally announced and construction will begin when the Request for Proposals process is closed and fulfilled, and a final Design Build Agreement (DBA) is signed.
Capital Projects Take Time
A major capital project is a large undertaking that takes a series of planning steps to ensure the facility is:
- designed appropriately;
- tendered and constructed for the best value;
- scheduled properly to ensure the continuity of health care at the existing hospital is maintained during the construction period.
Hospitals are highly complex facilities with many interconnected systems, services and equipment. It’s in our best interest to work through the project thoroughly to ensure that we get the facility we need, in accordance with the financial scope the government has set.
- Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
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Aerial view of proposed plans
Share Aerial view of proposed plans on Facebook Share Aerial view of proposed plans on Twitter Share Aerial view of proposed plans on Linkedin Email Aerial view of proposed plans linkWondering where the new Mills Memorial hospital and the new Seven Sisters facility will be located?
Both new facilities will be built on the same piece of land as the current hospital. The new hospital will be between the current hospital and the Sande Overpass, the majority of which is now a wooded area. The new Seven Sisters facility will be built just to the west of the hospital, close to Haugland Avenue. Currently, this is parking in front of the current facility's psychiatric unit.
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New Mills will not have a helipad
Share New Mills will not have a helipad on Facebook Share New Mills will not have a helipad on Twitter Share New Mills will not have a helipad on Linkedin Email New Mills will not have a helipad linkNorthern Health had a third party lead a process to review the development of a helipad as part of the Mills Memorial Hospital replacement project. The report concludes:
- The airport is the optimal location for fixed and rotary wing emergency transportation
- The current project is prohibitive for the development of a ground level helipad at this time
- The risks associated with helicopters incidents at a healthcare facility helipad when compared to the short travel distance from the airport to the helipad are significant
In addition, fixed-wing transport is a mainstay through the BC Ambulance system and requires an airport from which patients may be directly transferred. Ground ambulance is still required for patient transport no matter the location of the helipad.
The full reports can be seen below:
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Hospital Foundation designates $5,000 donation to new hospital
Share Hospital Foundation designates $5,000 donation to new hospital on Facebook Share Hospital Foundation designates $5,000 donation to new hospital on Twitter Share Hospital Foundation designates $5,000 donation to new hospital on Linkedin Email Hospital Foundation designates $5,000 donation to new hospital linkWestern Financial Group has donated $5,000 to the Dr. REM Lee Hospital Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money to expand and enhance healthcare at Mills Memorial Hospital and Terraceview Lodge in Terrace.
And the Foundation has dedicated this money to support the expansion of emergency services at the new Mills Memorial Hospital, set to be built and completed in the next few years.
The $5,000 grant comes from the Western Financial Group’s Communities Foundation, which donates to charitable causes in both B.C. and Alberta. Terrace Western Financial chose to put the Dr. REM Lee Hospital Foundation into a draw for the money and they won.
Thank you Western Financial and Dr. REM Lee Hospital Foundation!
Photo Dr. REM Lee Hospital Foundation Chair, Ron Bartlett (far left) and Vice-Chair Dianne Rooker (next to him), accept a cheque for $5,000 from Terrace Western Financial’s Mila Gibson (far right) and Jesse Sheppard of on January 7, 2021.
Who's Listening
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Communications Lead, Capital Projects
Videos
Documents
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September 2023 MMH design posters project display
- Sept 2023 Landscaping plan poster (598 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Level 0 poster (212 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Level 1 poster (303 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Level 2 poster (216 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Level 3 poster (163 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Exterior Design poster (682 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Interior Design poster (459 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Main Lobby poster (431 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Emergency Department poster (493 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Spiritual Space poster (367 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Cancer Care poster (402 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Staff Facilities poster (312 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Patient Rooms poster (435 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Birthing Unit poster (433 KB) (jpg)
- Sept 2023 Seven Sisters poster (430 KB) (jpg)
- Celebrating MMH story submission form and info.pdf (168 KB) (pdf)
- MMH Project Timeline (4.91 MB) (pdf)
- Project Overview Booklet (2.72 MB) (pdf)
- MMH regional benefits flyer (4.41 MB) (pdf)
- Join the Team - MMH Employment Flyer (801 KB) (pdf)
- April 2022 MMH-what-we-heard (2.33 MB) (pdf)
- MMH project regional subcontractors list.pdf (155 KB) (pdf)
- Closer to Home campaign
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Quarterly project updates
- April 2024 MMH project quarterly update (632 KB) (pdf)
- Jan 2024 MMH project quarterly update (652 KB) (pdf)
- October 2023 MMH quarterly update (1.45 MB) (pdf)
- June 2023 MMH quarterly update (673 KB) (pdf)
- February 2023 MMH quarterly update (683 KB) (pdf)
- November 2022 MMH quarterly update (707 KB) (pdf)
- July 2022 MMH quarterly update (511 KB) (pdf)
- Indigenous Advisory Working Group
- Community Advisory Working Group
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Capital Advisory Committee
- Mills Capital Advisory Committee Terms of Reference (261 KB) (pdf)
- 2021, March 23 Capital Advisory Meeting Summary .pdf (202 KB) (pdf)
- 2021, Jan 5 Capital Advisory Meeting Summary.pdf (234 KB) (pdf)
- 2021, Jan 5 Communications Update for MMH Capital Advisory.pdf (2.02 MB) (pdf)
- 2019, Oct. 3 Capital Advisory Meeting Summary (665 KB) (pdf)
- 2019, April 8 Capital Advisory Meeting Summary (220 KB) (pdf)
- 2020, Sept. 17 Capital Advisory Meeting Summary (589 KB) (pdf)
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September 2021 Draft designs project display
- MMH Draft designs as of September 13, 2021.pdf (31 MB) (pdf)
- DRAFT MMH Replacement project site plan for public_2021.07.23 (4.1 MB) (pdf)
- Aerial view of proposed MMH project plans as of March 2021.jpg (344 KB) (jpg)
- MMH Draft Designs - Landscape plan.pdf (5.43 MB) (pdf)
- MMH Draft Designs - Plant board.pdf (15.5 MB) (pdf)
- Helipad Reports
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