Graham Design Builders chosen to design Fort St. James hospital in B.C.

FORT ST. JAMES, B.C. — A preferred proponent has been chosen to design a hospital for Fort St. James, B.C.

Northern Health solicited and obtained proposals from three shortlisted proponents to enter into a design-early works agreement (DEWA). The teams included Clark Builders, Graham Design Builders LP and SBW Wright Construction JV.

Ultimately, Northern Health and Infrastructure BC chose to go with Graham Design Builders LP. The project budget of $116 million is cost shared between the province through Northern Health and the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District.

A DEWA is a contractual agreement between the design builder and Northern Health, which gets the design phase started. The next step includes issuing a draft design-build request for proposals and draft design-build agreement to the preferred proponent.

“The selection of a proponent for the DEWA is an important step in the development of a new hospital and primary care centre for Fort St. James and area,” said Colleen Nyce, board chair of Northern Health, in a statement. “We look forward to the health service improvements this development will provide for people living in Fort St. James and the surrounding First Nations communities.”

Officials plan to build a hospital that is three times larger in building size than the current facility with 27 beds, including 18 long-term care beds. There will be an emergency department with two treatment rooms, a trauma bay and ambulance bay. A laboratory and diagnostic imaging are also part of the plan.

The facility will feature a primary care centre to consolidate services offered in Fort St. James at one location, cutting down on patient and staff travel.

“This investment announcement within our region is tremendous news for the community of Fort St. James and the surrounding rural and First Nations populations that rely on the invaluable local health services provided from this facility, not only today, but now secured for the future,” said Jerry Petersen, chair of the Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District.