The first phase of the Burnaby Hospital redevelopment is almost complete, and workers are wanted.
The hospital is planning to hire about 170 new staff as Phase 1 of the redevelopment wraps up, according to a presentation by Leanne Appleton, executive director of Burnaby Hospital, at Burnaby City Hall March 11.
Appleton said the hospital is looking for a range of workers from nurses and allied health professionals to clinical support roles such as porters and care aides.
Officials expect some of the renovations to open as early as this spring.
The $2.4-billion project to revamp the aging hospital started construction in 2022.
Phase 1 of the redevelopment will include 83 beds in the new patient pavilion and the expansion of the existing support facilities building, which will be home to the new Jim Pattison Surgery Centre and the Burnaby Community Emergency Department, according to Noor Esmail, chief project officer.
A new mental health inpatient unit with a secure outdoor patio will give patients a “peaceful view” from the top floor, Esmail said.
The new maternity unit and neonatal intensive care unit will both offer single-room care for additional privacy.
The new medicine unit will also have individual patient rooms, providing patients with their own bathrooms and showers, to follow best practices for infection control, according to Esmail.
Phase 1 renovations, which will continue until 2026, to the existing spaces are set to accommodate growing services including the pharmacy and outpatient lab.
The renovated pharmacy, slated to open later this spring, will be the largest part of the project to “go live” to date, Esmail said.
The larger space will allow the pharmacy to increase capacity for medication preparation, with three laminar floor hoods and two biosafety cabinets used to prepare chemotherapy medications for the oncology clinic.
Other renovated spaces planned to open in 2025:
- Outpatient lab
- Cardiac rehab
- Outpatient rehab
- Biomedical engineering
Phase 2, which is expected to begin construction this year, will expand the hospital’s bed capacity and cancer services, including a new 160-bed patient care tower and an integrated BC Cancer Centre.
The existing emergency and endoscopy departments and the entire perioperative floor will undergo renovations, and the hospital’s west wing will be demolished, according to Esmail.
The larger emergency department is set to reduce wait times and provide greater patient privacy, Appleton said.
Mayor Mike Hurley said the hospital redevelopment has been “a long time coming.”
“It looks really, really impressive, and I know our community is going to be proud of this facility for a long time,” Hurley said.
He asked how many beds the hospital would have when both phases are complete.
“We’re one shy of 400; 399 is the expected number,” Esmail said.
“I was hoping it to be over 400 — and you know why,” the mayor joked.
“Round it out to 400. It’s sitting at 399, but we’ll work on it,” Esmail replied.
Phase 2 is expected to finish construction in 2030.
