University Hospital of Northern British Columbia - Acute Care Tower

We're thrilled to introduce the leadership team behind the expansion at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC).

What makes this project special is our alliance model, bringing together the owner, designers, and contractors as one team. This collaborative approach ensures everyone is invested in the project's success.

Now, let's meet the visionary leaders driving this initiative forward...

Left: Sunil Kanamala, Chief Project Officer Right: Sherri Tillotson, Chief Clinical Planning Officer

Meet Sunil Kanamala, Chief Project Officer for the UHNBC Acute Care Tower Project. Sunil is an experienced engineer with over 35 years in planning, design, and managing construction projects. He joined Northern Health in 2022 to lead the Capital Planning & Development Department.

Experience: Sunil has worked in various sectors, including transit, infrastructure, academia, and healthcare. His expertise in managing complex projects ensures they are completed on time and within budget.

Contributions: Sunil's skills in project management and IT have significantly advanced the UHNBC tower project. His ability to integrate different disciplines and his dedication to excellence make him a vital part of the team.

Meet Sherri Tillotson, Chief Clinical Planning Officer for the UHNBC Acute Care Tower Project. Sherri has been a key figure at Northern Health since 2012, bringing her expertise in clinical operations and capital planning.

Experience: Sherri is known for her collaborative leadership and strong partnerships with government and municipal partners. She has over a decade of experience in clinical operations and capital planning, holding various leadership roles at UHNBC, including:

• 2022-2024: Senior Operating Officer, UHNBC/Prince George
• 2018-2022: Director, Regional Tertiary Services/UHNBC Clinical Supports

Contributions: Sherri has been crucial in planning the new UHNBC tower, integrating clinical needs into capital planning for better healthcare delivery. Her strategic vision and collaborative approach make her a key contributor to the project.

Sherri moved to Prince George in 2005 for a Master's program and has stayed for 20 years, showing her love for the community through her advocacy.

Stay tuned for more team highlights and be sure to drop any questions you have in the comments!

The first phase of the acute care tower project includes building a 471-stall parkade. This addition is important to ensure we have enough parking for both staff and patients as the project moves forward, and we have made some great progress so far.

When construction ends in fall 2025, the parkade will have:

• 188,000 gross square feet of building area: Enough space to fit approximately 1.3 Charles Jago Northern Sport Centres (UNBC).
• 8,200 m³ of concrete: Imagine filling about 1,154,286 Extra Large Tim Hortons coffee cups with concrete.
• 32,000 m² of concrete formwork: This could cover the entire surface area of the ice rink at CN Centre in Prince George about 50 times.
• 1,000,000 kg of reinforcing steel: That's about the same weight as 5,195 Canadian black bears!
• 240 m of new electrical duct bank: Equivalent to the length of 4 of Canada's Longest Fishing Rods (located in Houston, BC).
• 30,000-liter storm tank: This tank could hold about 30,000 standard grocery store jugs of maple syrup.
• 22 Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piles: Laid end to end this would stretch about the length of 85 Canadian moose lined up in a row.
• 57,000 hours worked (as of January 31): That's like watching 22,800 Prince George Cougars hockey games (including Zamboni time).

Don't forget to check back here for updates and drop any questions you have in the comments!

Exciting news! Access to the BC Cancer Centre for the North via Lethbridge Street has been restored. To show our appreciation for the incredible patience and understanding of BC Cancer staff and patients during parkade construction, we offered complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks in the lobby on March 5th.

BC Cancer Centre staff enjoying a coffee and breakfast.

The first phase of the acute care tower project includes building a 471-stall parkade next to the BC Cancer Centre for the North. The parkade is anticipated to be completed in fall 2025.

Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward and be sure to drop any questions you have in the comments!

Watch the construction of our 471-stall parkade next to the BC Cancer Centre for the North come to life! You can watch the entire construction process from April 2024 to February 2025 unfold through our timelapse below.

Stay in the loop with live updates by visiting our Let’s Talk site. Navigate to the ‘highlights’ section to see real-time progress and developments.

The parkade is set to be completed by fall 2025. Don’t miss out on this exciting transformation!

Big changes are coming to the Northern Interior Health Unit (NIHU) as we prepare for the construction of the new acute care tower on the current NIHU site. This development marks a significant step forward in enhancing healthcare services for our community.

Relocating Services
To make way for the new tower, we will be relocating the services currently offered at the NIHU. The relocation is expected to take place in the spring of 2026, ensuring a smooth transition with minimal disruption to services.

Demolition and Construction
Following the relocation, the existing NIHU building will be demolished in the summer of 2026. This demolition is a crucial part of our plan to create space for the new, state-of-the-art tower that will enhance our healthcare capabilities and provide improved facilities for both patients and healthcare professionals.

We are committed to keeping the community informed and engaged throughout this process. Regular updates will be provided on our Let’s Talk site, where you can find the latest information and progress reports. We are excited about the future and the positive impact this project will have on healthcare in the North.

Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward and be sure to drop any questions you have in the comments!

Where We’re At:

We are currently in the ‘Early Works’ phase of our project. This phase includes constructing a parkade next to the BC Cancer Centre for the North to ensure we have ample parking as the project progresses.

We are also in the procurement process for the new tower. This means we are acquiring all the necessary materials, services, and contractors needed for its construction.

What’s Next?

In the coming months, we will be assembling the team for the tower. This project uses an alliance model, meaning all key parties—such as the owner, designers, and contractors—work together as a single team. This collaborative approach often leads to better outcomes, as everyone is invested in the project's success. Talk about teamwork!

Since the new tower will be built on the Northern Interior Health Unit (NIHU) site, we will also be working to find a new location for the NIHU and relocating the services currently offered there. This will be followed by the demolition of the current health unit.

After the Early Works phase, we will move into Phase One of the project, which addresses the most immediate needs of UHNBC. This includes program areas such as surgical services, cardiac services, and mental health and substance use services.

Check back here often for project updates and feel free to ask any questions in the comments!

Residents of Northern British Columbia are one step closer to enhanced acute care and a dedicated cardiac unit with the approval of the business plan for a new patient-care tower at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia (UHNBC) in August 2024.

Ciro Panessa, President and CEO of Northern Health, addressing the audience at the event celebrating the approval of the business plan for the new acute care tower.

Built in 1958, UHNBC is outdated and too small to meet the needs of Prince George and the surrounding region. The redevelopment will more than double the current number of beds for surgical, mental-health, and cardiac services from 102 to 211. This expansion will address the three areas most in need of upgrades and allow for better-coordinated patient care.

Cardiac care, currently spread throughout the hospital, will be centralized in the new 11-storey tower. This includes a 6-bed cardiac-care unit and a 20-bed cardiac step-down unit. Along with interventional cardiac services, northern residents will have better access to critical cardiac care closer to home.

The tower will also feature a state-of-the-art surgical unit with 47 new beds, bringing the total to 102. The number of operating rooms will increase from 7 to 12, and an expanded medical device reprocessing department will enhance surgical capacity and efficiency.

To meet the growing need for mental-health and substance-use services, the number of treatment beds will increase by 36, totaling 72. This includes 11 youth psychiatric-assessment beds, 4 brief-intervention beds, 36 adult psychiatric beds, and 32 withdrawal-management beds.

Located on the southeast corner of the UHNBC campus, the tower will be built on the site of the health unit building between Edmonton and Winnipeg streets. Early work has already begun with the construction of a 471-space parkade next to the BC Cancer Centre for the North.

The next stage in the project is the procurement process, with construction expected to begin in fall 2026 and be completed by summer 2031.

This expansion is supported by a significant contribution from the Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District and builds on more investments in the North, including new and expanded hospitals in Terrace, Fort St. James, Dawson Creek, and Quesnel.

Check back here for project updates and ask any questions you have in the comments!