MEDIA RELEASE
HAWKESBURY – The Hawkesbury & District General Hospital (HGH) is beginning the most important phase in its history. By 2018, HGH will double its capacity and become a full service regional hospital. At the sod turning ceremony, the Ontario government was represented by Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Energy, Mr. John Fraser, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long‐Term Care and Mr. Grant Crack, MPP for Glengarry‐Prescott‐Russell.
“The Ontario government recognized the lack of access to healthcare in the Prescott‐Russell region,” said Suzanne Quesnel‐Gauthier, Chair of the HGH Board of Directors. “The addition of acute care beds and a new psychiatric unit will allow HGH to better serve our community. We’re grateful to Infrastructure Ontario for making our project a priority,” she added.
Started a few weeks ago, the redevelopment project will be the largest construction site in Prescott‐Russell since the construction of highway 417. The total cost of the project is estimated at $160 million in new infrastructure and equipment.
“The objectives of the redevelopment project are ambitious,” says Marc LeBoutillier, HGH Chief Executive Officer. “We are carrying out major improvements to essential health services. For example, we’ll expand emergency, diagnostic, rehabilitation and surgical services. To provide healthcare close to home, we’ll add specialty medical clinics. We’ll also have cutting edge medical equipment and facilities for training and teaching. Our business plan is based on a comprehensive analysis of the population needs for the next 15 years,” he says.
Currently, HGH has over 540 employees and 100 physicians to meet the evolving needs of the community. In its transition to a regional hospital, the major redevelopment project will nurture HGH’s culture of excellence and compassion and its spirit of innovation. HGH will play a greater role in the region: first having opened its two satellites service centres in Casselman and Clarence‐Rockland and today with the sod turning ceremony.
“We are making significant efforts to recruit competent healthcare professionals, including physicians and specialists,” says Dr. Julie Maranda, Chief of Staff. Once the renovation is complete, HGH plans to hire 100 healthcare professionals and 20 physicians in various programs.