NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — Ontario has reached a key milestone in the construction of the new South Niagara Hospital, as the province continues a multibillion-dollar push to expand health infrastructure and add capacity to its strained hospital system.
The provincial government announced Wednesday that the final structural beam has been raised on the $3.2-billion hospital project in Niagara Falls, marking a major step toward completion of the 12-storey, 1.3-million-square-foot facility. The hospital is scheduled to open in summer 2028 and will add 156 beds to the region’s existing capacity, part of a broader provincial plan to invest nearly $60 billion in more than 50 hospital projects over the next decade.
“With more than 150 additional beds, a 24/7 emergency department and experts across the spectrum of care needs, the South Niagara Hospital will provide convenient, world-class health care to residents and Niagara Falls and across the region,” Premier Doug Ford said in a statement. “Our government will continue to deliver on our historic hospital and primary care expansions, so families have reliable access to quality health-care services, no matter where they live.”
The new hospital will include 469 beds in total, replacing and expanding services currently offered at Niagara Health’s Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls sites. The facility will feature a 24-hour emergency department, expanded diagnostic and surgical services, ambulatory care and specialized centres focused on stroke, geriatric care and complex conditions.
Health officials say the investment is intended to address population growth in the Niagara region, which serves roughly 450,000 residents and includes one of Ontario’s busiest emergency departments.
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones said the structural milestone brings the project closer to delivering improved care access for residents.
“Today’s milestone brings the province one step closer to delivering on its goal to connect more families in the Niagara Region, to convenient, high-quality care close to home,” Jones said. “The new South Niagara Hospital will significantly increase capacity to meet the needs of the region’s growing population, ensuring Niagara communities can connect to the care they need, right in their own community for generations to come.”
The project forms part of Ontario’s long-term capital plan, which allocates more than $223 billion toward infrastructure projects, including hospitals, transit and other public assets. Provincial officials say the hospital expansion plan will create approximately 3,000 new beds across Ontario.
Niagara Health president and chief executive Lynn Guerriero said the milestone reflects years of planning and signals a major shift in regional health-care delivery.
“Today’s milestone is a proud moment for Niagara Health and for the communities we serve. Reaching this point reflects years of planning and collaboration by our teams, and we are grateful to the Province of Ontario for its significant investment in modern health-care infrastructure. The South Niagara Hospital will strengthen hospital care across our region and ensure patients and families have access to safe, high-quality services close to home. This investment represents more than a new building — it represents confidence in Niagara’s future and a shared commitment to delivering modern, connected hospital care for our growing region.”
Provincial infrastructure officials also highlighted the economic and employment benefits tied to major construction projects like the South Niagara Hospital.
“Congratulations to all the workers and project partners on achieving another milestone in the construction of the new South Niagara Hospital. Once complete, this modern and integrated facility will provide residents and families across the Niagara region with the quality care they need and deserve. Thanks to Premier Ford’s leadership, our government is investing nearly $60 billion in health infrastructure across the province, as part of our more than $223 billion capital plan to support growing communities, keep workers on the job and protect Ontario,” said Acting Infrastructure Minister Todd McCarthy.
Local representatives say the hospital is part of a broader regional transformation that includes other recent and planned upgrades.
“Niagara is entering a new chapter in health care. With a newly rebuilt West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, ongoing construction of the South Niagara Hospital and a planning grant in place for the refurbishment of the Welland Hospital, we are building a stronger, more connected hospital system that meets the needs of patients across the region,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
In addition to the new build, the province said Niagara Health will continue operating hospital sites in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland once the South Niagara Hospital opens. The government is also funding renovations and infrastructure improvements at the Welland Hospital.
The province is providing Niagara Health with more than $4.54 million in 2025-26 through its Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, including $773,000 in one-time funding for critical upgrades.
Ontario said it is also investing $257 million this fiscal year to support repairs and infrastructure improvements at 126 hospitals and 66 community health facilities provincewide, a 12.3-per-cent increase from the previous year.
The South Niagara Hospital project represents one of the largest health-care infrastructure investments in the region’s history and is expected to play a central role in delivering acute care services to Niagara residents for decades to come, while helping the province manage rising demand for hospital services.