The Rocky Mountain House Health Centre project is part of the Alberta Surgical Initiative capital program, which aims to provide Albertans with reliable access to surgical care, reduce wait times and remove barriers to health care across Alberta.
“It’s an honour to lead the construction on a building that will have a significant impact on the people of Rocky Mountain House and surrounding area. This health centre extension and other projects like this demonstrate our commitment to creating jobs and building stronger, healthier communities across the province.”
“Adding a new operating room at Rocky Mountain House Health Centre means doubling the surgery capacity so more Albertans in this community and surrounding ones will get their surgeries sooner and closer to home. We have committed $133 million over three years so hospitals across the province can put resources in place to build and expand operating rooms and work to reduce surgery wait times.”
“Alberta’s government is committed to providing high-quality patient care in our health-care facilities. The Rocky Mountain House Health Centre plays an important role in the well-being of this community and surrounding area. The expansion will enhance the surgical program for Rocky Mountain House residents.”
Once complete, the expansion will reduce surgical wait times and provide more spaces for patients in the Rocky Mountain House area to recover closer to home.
“We are excited construction has begun on a new operating room for the Rocky Mountain House surgical program, as well as upgrading the medical device reprocessing department. These initiatives will help support our front-line staff as they continue to provide quality care for patients, as well as help deliver on the goals of the Alberta Surgical Initiative, which aims to increase access to surgeries and bring down wait times.”
“Lowering surgical wait times and increasing access to health care in Rocky Mountain House will help strengthen our community. I would like to express my gratitude to the provincial government for this long-needed improvement.”
Projects like the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre expansion provide more economic opportunities for Albertans while building stronger, healthier communities. Construction is expected to be completed in the spring of 2024 and will support about 80 well-paying jobs in construction and the trades.
Quick facts
- Decreasing the length of wait-lists for surgeries is one of the Alberta government’s top priorities. Alberta Health Services aims to schedule an additional 1,350 surgeries in the central zone, ranging from hip and knee to general surgeries by inviting chartered surgical facilities to submit proposals.
- Budget 2022 provides $133 million over three years to expand and build new operating rooms in hospitals across the province, including in Calgary, Edmonton, Edson, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Rocky Mountain House.
- Alberta Infrastructure is delivering this project using the design-bid-build delivery model, which allows for continuous operation of the existing health centre while the extension is being built.
- Construction will be carried out by Shunda Consulting and Construction Management Ltd.
- There is currently one operating room at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre, where about 150 procedures are completed each month. The addition of the new operating room will double the capacity.
- The health centre serves the town’s permanent population of about 6,650 as well as the regional population of about 21,000.
- The population spikes in the summer months due to tourism activities in the surrounding areas.
- The following list represents ASI projects being delivered by Alberta Infrastructure:
|
Alberta Surgical Initiative location |
Estimated number of jobs |
Status |
Construction commencement |
Construction completion |
Number of operating rooms |
|
Lethbridge |
70 |
Design |
TBD |
TBD |
2 |
|
Calgary |
356 |
Design |
TBD |
TBD |
11 |
|
Rocky Mountain House |
78 |
Construction |
September 2022 |
Spring 2024 |
1 |
|
Edmonton |
58 |
Construction |
February 2022 |
May 2023 |
2 |
|
Grande Prairie |
112 |
Completed |
December 2020 |
Jul 2021 |
2 |