CheckPoint: The Ottawa Hospital and Infrastructure Ontario Seek Design and Development Team for New Hospital Build

An update about The Ottawa Hospital's new campus

The Ottawa Hospital and Infrastructure Ontario Seek Design and Development Team for New Hospital Build

The Ottawa Hospital is thrilled to share we are one step closer to opening a world-class new hospital that will transform patient experience for the people we care for across the greater Ottawa and Eastern Ontario region, Western Quebec and Nunavut. Infrastructure Ontario issued a Request for Proposals on Nov. 29 seeking a design and development team to build a new state-of-the-art hospital on the 50-acre site bordered by Carling Avenue, Preston Street and Prince of Wales Drive in Ottawa.

“This is a tremendously exciting next milestone as we work to bring the future of health care to Ottawa and the more than a million people we care for,” said Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. “We’re thrilled to have the continued support of Infrastructure Ontario and look forward to the selection process for a design and development team that aligns with the vision for the project which is grounded in compassion, with patients and families at the core.”

The Ottawa Hospital's new campus will become one of Canada’s largest adult acute care hospitals, and home to one of Canada’s leading trauma centers.

The new campus is being designed with a focus on patient and family experience, healing and wellness among the diverse individuals, communities, and cultures we serve. Single patient rooms with private rooms bathrooms will enhance privacy and infection control and improve rest necessary for healing and wellness. A rooftop helipad and dedicated access routes for ambulances will help ensure patients are looked after as quickly as possible. Surgical suites and operating rooms will house the most advanced technology.

Aerial views of the future site of The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus, including site preparation work.

Progress update: Construction moving ahead

As the weather turns colder in the nation’s capital, the work to build The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus is moving ahead on schedule.

Planning and development of the design is progressing for the state-of-the-art new hospital. The planning team is continuing to work with The Ottawa Hospital staff members, patient and family advisors, Indigenous partners and community members to develop and refine plans.

Construction will be occurring in stages with crews working in different areas simultaneously. The first phase of construction is underway and involves preparing the site for the new hospital and building a parking garage — a four-storey parkade that will have a direct, covered connection to the main hospital building and a rooftop park. During construction, every effort is being made to minimize disruption to the neighbouring communities.

A view of the urban plaza at The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus in the winter, from Carling Ave. A research tower is in the foreground, with the main hospital building behind.

Building the future of health care

The Ottawa Hospital is on track with plans to build a new hospital that will lead the way for the future of health care and transform patient experience for the people we serve across the greater Ottawa and Eastern Ontario region, Western Quebec and Nunavut.

The new hospital will be the most modern in Canada, an incredible state-of-the-art building that will be a catalyst for reshaping health care in our community and across the region.

“With our new campus, we’re building a system, not just a site,” said The Ottawa Hospital’s President and CEO Cameron Love. “The Ottawa Hospital is focused on enriching the quality of care for patients and their loved ones. The new campus will increase capacity for us to respond to the pressures exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and allow us to advance care and provide a better patient experience during and after time in hospital.”

Every patient will have their own room, equipped with an accessible washroom, and space for a loved one to spend the night. Smart in-room digital screens will keep patients connected with their loved ones who are unable to visit the hospital and there will be designated spaces for spiritual reflection, ceremony and healing.

“Every community in Canada is experiencing challenges related to wait times and staffing shortages are adding pressure across the entire health system,” said Love. “The new campus will help us respond to demands across all of The Ottawa Hospital’s campuses and support us in providing the excellent care and experience patients and their families expect and deserve. It will help us attract some of the best medical minds in the world, making Ottawa a hub for health research, discovery and training.”