One Redevelopment Project, Two New Sites

A site selection process for the South Muskoka site is part of this stage of planning because the existing hospital property in Bracebridge on Ann Street is too small to accommodate future redevelopment. A robust process in line with the Ministry of Health’s Site Search Capital Planning Bulletin Guidelines was followed to identify and potential locations that met minimum land requirements to be assessed against evaluation criteria. These guidelines set minimum requirements for land, including size and access.  Other factors such as environmental regulations, access to services like water and sewer and electricity, public transportation, and travel distances to other health service providers are also important considerations.  A comprehensive and transparent engagement process with our communities was important to selecting the most appropriate property for a future hospital in Bracebridge.

In December 2023, having followed an objective site selection process over the course of the year, the MAHC Board of Directors endorsed 300 Pine Street in Bracebridge as the best long-term option for the future hospital in South Muskoka.

The site selection decision will be part of the formal submission to the Ministry of Health.

Redevelopment Project Cost and Local Share

The Ministry of Health/Infrastructure Ontario has allocated approximately $1 billion to our redevelopment project. The Ministry of Health will pay for most of the actual construction of new buildings.  The local community is expected to contribute a share of the entire project, which can be up to 30% of the total project cost, including furnishings, fixtures and hospital equipment.  The community's local share has been identified as $225 million.  Learn more about our work to refine the community share.

Examples of costs paid for by the community's share include:

• a portion of construction cost of hospital
• equipment and technology
• furnishings and fixtures
• construction of revenue-generating space (i.e. parking lots, retail)
• any land/property required, land alterations and site servicing to the land
• financing costs

In this stage of planning, for our project to proceed we have to demonstrate the community’s ability to pay for its share of the new builds.  We know that today’s economy has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and by the time we are at the stage of building, construction costs will continue to increase.

Developing a financing plan to meet the local share component has been is a key focus of MAHC and the local share partners. In October 2023, we reached a significant milestone to achieve a financing plan for the community's local share in collaboration with municipal partners in Muskoka and the Almaguin Highlands.  The financial commitments made by all parties demonstrate the shared responsibility to the common goal to build a regionally unique, multi-site healthcare infrastructure through a strong local partnership to invest in and build a Made-in-Muskoka Healthcare system.

Governance and Structure

The MAHC Board of Directors has formed a Capital Redevelopment Steering Committee to provide governance oversight.  A Capital Redevelopment Operations Committee has also been established with members of MAHC’s Leadership Team, physician leaders, hospital foundation representatives and project consultants.  Their purpose is to work through the Stage 1.3 requirements, reporting to and making recommendations to the Board’s steering committee.  The user groups will be key to our work and our final submission and will include staff, physicians, volunteers, patients and families.  These groups will ensure we understand  what they will need and what services and spaces should look like.

Information Sharing and Consultation

Community engagement has been an essential part of the planning process to date.  Feedback from internal and external stakeholders has shaped our plan for two new sites.  There will be various ways that user input will continue to be obtained throughout this journey.  Our success will rely on integrating feedback and insights from community partners, patients and families, and our staff, physicians and volunteers.  We are committed to keeping our MAHC team and our greater community informed as we move forward.  Don't forget you can subscribe to any of our webpages to receive updates by email by clicking on the green banner below.

Community Information Sessions (April 2023)

MAHC was pleased to revisit our communities again in April 2023 with a series of in-person information sessions.  At these sessions, we provided an update on the planning journey and our progress to date, reviewed the site selection process for a new location for the South Muskoka site, and presented the findings of the evaluation and the preliminary preferred property in Bracebridge.  Together with members of our project consulting team, a 30-minute presentation was provided using a slide deck, followed by a question and answer period.  Feedback at these sessions has been valuable to the project team and Board of Directors prior to final decision-making on a preferred new location.  Following the second round of community engagement, President and CEO Cheryl Harrison also wrote a CEO Blog on the topic. 

Community Open Houses (January 2023)

MAHC was pleased to host six in-person and two virtual open houses to connect with our communities in January 2023.  A 30-minute presentation was provided using a slide deck and an information brochure was available.  Community members could tour large poster boards and engage in conversation and questions and answers with representatives from our project team and consultants, hospital foundations and auxiliaries, Board of Directors, and Patient Experience Partners.  MAHC looks forward to hosting a further round of community engagement to provide an update on the site selection process and progress on our Stage 1.3 deliverables.