Extra spending OK'd for new North Sydney health centre

Costs for the new health complex in North Sydney, N.S., are up this year by almost 13 per cent, a jump provincial government officials attribute to the same challenges facing the construction industry since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cabinet recently approved an additional $14 million for the project this year on top of the $109.2 million already approved as part of this year's provincial capital plan.

A spokesperson for the province blamed the increased costs to a combination of labour shortages, supply demands and inflation.

"Price inflation has particularly impacted mechanical and electrical materials, and health-care facilities have greater requirements for these systems than other types of buildings," Brian Taylor said in a statement.

"The funds will be used to allow contracts to be awarded and ensure the project remains on schedule."

Major projects in the works

Taylor said the order-in-council that authorized the spending also grants approval to Nova Scotia Health to use $14.9 million of the original budget for this year to buy equipment for the new facility. He said the project's total cost would be disclosed when the work is complete.

The Northside Health Complex was part of a suite of health-care redevelopment projects announced by the former Liberal government, which the Tory government is now shepherding through the construction process.

The complex will replace the aging Northside General Hospital, which opened in 1954. The new site is expected to open in 2027.

Prior to this year, the government announced $200 million in construction tenders for the project. Along with a health centre, the site will include a 60-bed long-term care facility and laundry centre.

There will be space for a variety of clinics, collaborative care teams, mental health and addictions services, and 12 short-stay beds for urgent and after-hours care. Unlike the Northside General, the new site will not include an emergency department.

Other redevelopment projects underway include work at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, a new health centre in New Waterford, and the redevelopment of the Halifax Infirmary. A new outpatient centre in Bayers Lake recently opened.

Even with all of that construction underway, another health-care development project could be on the horizon.

Potential expansion of Truro ER

Nova Scotia Health posted a tender last week for consulting services to conduct a feasibility study for the expansion of the emergency department at Colchester East Hants Health Centre in Truro, a site that first opened in 2012.

Tender documents say the health authority wants the study to address space, workflow and equipment requirements of an expanded emergency room.

"Like many health-care facilities, [Colchester East Hants Health Centre] operates in an environment of increased population, increased service demands and changes to models of care," the documents say.

"The emergency department is the first point of entry into a health-care system for many people. This is especially true for those Nova Scotians without a primary care provider, resulting in increasing visits for 'non-urgent' or non-acute illnesses."

The tender closes July 4.