NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — The Ontario government has reached a key construction milestone on the new South Niagara Hospital, raising the final structural beam on a project aimed at expanding acute care capacity and modernizing health infrastructure in one of the province’s fastest-growing regions.
The 12-storey, 1.3-million-square-foot facility, backed by a provincial investment of $3.2 billion, is expected to open in summer 2028 and will add 156 more beds than the combined capacity of three existing local hospital sites it will replace or consolidate.
Premier Doug Ford said the new hospital is part of Ontario’s broader strategy to expand health care infrastructure and improve access.
“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,” Ford said. “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 hospital is being built in Niagara Falls and will serve approximately 450,000 residents across the Niagara Region. Once complete, it will include 469 beds, a round-the-clock emergency department, expanded surgical and diagnostic services, and specialized centres focused on stroke care, geriatric care and complex medical needs.
Ontario’s Ministry of Health said the project supports its long-term plan to invest nearly $60 billion in more than 50 hospital developments across the province over the next decade, adding about 3,000 beds to the system.
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones said the project is critical to keeping pace with population growth in the region.
“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 new site will allow Niagara Health to consolidate services currently offered at its Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls facilities. It will also complement Niagara Health’s existing hospitals in St. Catharines and Welland, creating a three-site regional hospital system once the project is complete.
Niagara Health president and CEO Lynn Guerriero said the structural milestone reflects years of planning and partnership.
“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 officials say the new facility will also incorporate upgraded infection prevention systems, ambulatory care and complex continuing care services, and modern medical technologies designed to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
The hospital project is one of several health infrastructure investments underway in Niagara. The province is also funding renovations and upgrades at Welland Hospital and previously rebuilt the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.
Acting Infrastructure Minister Todd McCarthy said the broader capital plan is designed to support both economic and health system needs.
“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.”
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff said the combined investments mark a significant shift in regional health care delivery.
“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.”
In addition to new construction, Niagara Health will receive more than $4.5 million in provincial funding in 2025-26 through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, including one-time funding for critical upgrades.
The South Niagara Hospital represents one of the largest hospital investments in the region’s history and forms part of Ontario’s wider effort to modernize aging health facilities, improve patient access and support growing communities. For Niagara’s health system, the completion of the structural phase signals that a long-anticipated transformation of regional hospital care is moving closer to reality.