Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) emergency departments are here for serious and urgent health concerns. For other care needs, there may be options that can connect you with the care you need sooner.
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Redevelopment is the process of transforming and improving healthcare spaces to meet the changing needs of patients, families, staff, and the community.
At WRHN, redevelopment includes the development of a new hospital for Waterloo Region as well as significant enhancements to our existing hospital sites and facilities. Together, these projects represent a long-term investment in the future of healthcare for the
Our Redevelopment Program vision for this project is a Waterloo Region where everyone has access to the highest quality of care, technology, and hospital infrastructure needed to be healthy — now and in the future.
Based on initial conversations with team members, doctors, and community and health system partners, including Cambridge Memorial Hospital and the KW4 Ontario Health Team, we have created a joint vision and submitted it to the government. The vision includes four main parts:
Hospital redevelopment projects in Ontario have multiple stages of planning and required Provincial Government approvals and can take, on average, 10 years or longer to complete. Typically, 5 years of planning, followed by 5 years of building.
We have progressed through early planning and require Ministry of Health approval on our Functional Program – submitted for review and approval in June 2025 – to formally proceed with detailed design and procurement planning before construction begins. Pending Ministry approval, we are hopeful to break ground on the site for the new hospital in 2027, with construction on the building beginning in 2029. We plan to open the new hospital in two phases – 1A in 2032 and 1B in 2035. For a list of programs and services moving to the new hospital, click here.
We will continue to provide high-quality care across our hospital sites as we put plans in place to modernize and expand hospital infrastructure for our growing community.
The Ministry of Health will cover 90% of the cost to build the new hospital. The other 10% is paid for by the community. In addition, the hospital is required to pay 100% of equipment. The community / hospital costs are identified through a Local Share Plan (LSP). The LSP identifies the investments and contributions made via our WRHN Foundation, hospital revenue, such as parking, retail food services, etc. and a municipal or regional investment on behalf of all residents. At this point, an estimated cost for the overall project has not been determined. Estimated costing will be established later in the capital planning process as we determine the size and scope of the new hospital, as well as upgrade work required to modernize the existing WRHN facilities.
Input from the communities we serve is critically important as we plan new hospital infrastructure. In determining the site for the new acute care hospital, we engaged over 12,000 members of our community to determine the site criteria. Early planning and design work has also included patient and family partners and community members from equity-deserving populations.
We will provide many opportunities for the community to be involved in the planning process and provide input. You can subscribe to receive email updates on the project here.
The way hospitals are built today has changed – we are building bigger and more complex buildings among higher costs and a shortage in the construction industry. In order to keep hospital redevelopment projects moving forward, the Ministry of Health has asked hospitals to build new projects in phases under 900,000 square feet per building. This phased approach allows the province to build faster and get communities the services they need today.
WRHN provides excellent patient care, but we’ve significantly outgrown our aging and outdated buildings. WRHN @ Queen’s Blvd. is almost 100 years old. Due to its current infrastructure, it is difficult for @ Queen’s Blvd. to meet current growing capacity demands making the site unable to meet future needs. Service will continue uninterrupted @ Queen’s Blvd. while the new hospital is built. Decisions regarding the future of the @ Queen’s Blvd. building will be determined through engagement with the hospital, health system partners, our communities, the St. Joesph’s Health System and the government.
No. Waterloo Region has three emergency departments that operate 24/7:
As WRHN continues to plan Waterloo Region’s new hospital in north Waterloo, WRHN’s two current emergency departments will remain open and in place to provide emergency care for those who need this support. There are no plans to close the emergency department @ Midtown. It will continue to offer care and services once the new hospital @ The University opens.
We know finding parking at our existing sites is often difficult for visitors, patients, and team members due to limited space. WRHN is planning between 2500-3000 parking spots at the new hospital site which will be split between surface, structure, and underground parking. For context, there are only 500 spaces at the @ Midtown parking garage today. We know that not everyone arrives to the hospital by car, and we are working with Grand River Transit to determine bus routes and connections to the ION light rail transit service as well as within the University of Waterloo campus. The site is also connected to the Laurel Creek Trail. Whether you’re arriving by car, bus, bicycle, or foot – we are planning a hospital that is accessible for all.
It is well known that Waterloo Region is facing a water capacity and supply issue that has halted several short and medium-term infrastructure projects across the Region. WRHN will continue to work with regional and municipal partners regarding offsite infrastructure – including water supply.
