Ontario Government Invests $44 Million to Advance Moosonee Hospital Construction
MOOSONEE, ONTARIO — The Ontario government has pledged an additional $44 million to support the ongoing construction of the new Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) hospital. This investment will fund the design and initial construction activities of the health campus in Moosonee, ensuring the project remains on schedule. The new campus will include a hospital, an Elder care lodge, and an ambulatory care centre on Moose Factory Island. This new funding is part of Ontario’s total commitment of nearly $1.3 billion to the project.
“Our government is taking action to connect people in Ontario to the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they live,” stated Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “The redevelopment of the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority is critical to ensuring those living in the Western James Bay and Hudson Bay Coast areas can access care, and we are doing everything we can to keep this project on track.”
The Weeneebayko Area Health Authority serves over 12,000 residents across six communities along the James Bay Coast, including Moose Factory Island, home to the country’s oldest un-renovated hospital. The new Weeneebayko General Hospital will be relocated to Moosonee and is designed to meet the healthcare needs of the growing community with a state-of-the-art facility offering culturally sensitive services.
The additional funding has facilitated the awarding of contracts for early works construction, which includes site preparation such as soil removal and replacement with crushed rock to ready the location for the new hospital building. This phase is crucial for laying the foundation of the upcoming health campus.
The comprehensive WAHA health campus project also features a 32-bed Long-Term Elder Care Lodge, designed to enable Elders to receive necessary care within their communities, and a new Ambulatory Care Centre in Moose Factory. The latter will ensure that residents on the island have continuous access to essential healthcare services.
This initiative is part of the Ontario government’s “Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care,” which aims to expand access to critical services across the province, ensuring that Ontarians receive the right care in the right place, close to home.
The Weeneebayko Area Health Authority’s new facilities are expected to significantly improve healthcare delivery in Northern Ontario, addressing long-standing challenges faced by these remote communities. As construction progresses, the government remains committed to its goal of providing equitable and comprehensive healthcare services for all residents, regardless of their location.
