On August 1, 2024 the Ontario government announced a transformation investment in health care infrastructure across Durham Region to better meet the needs of our residents.
The multi-phase redevelopment will build a more connected system of care across the region and includes projects to expand Lakeridge Health’s hospital campuses in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering.
To date, the Ontario government has provided more than $12 million in capital planning grants to support Lakeridge Health’s master redevelopment plan, as part of a larger overall investment to complete this multi-phase expansion.
The expansion of Lakeridge Health’s services and hospital campuses will add a total of 300 new hospital beds and enhance services throughout the region, including:
- Building a new post-acute care centre in Pickering to connect more patients and their families to rehabilitation and recovery supports.
- Redeveloping the Bowmanville Hospital to double the hospital’s capacity by adding 32 new beds and building new state-of-the-art facilities to expand inpatient and ambulatory care services and the emergency department.
- Building a new Whitby Hospital to improve access to fast and convenient care.
- Creating space for acute care capacity at the Oshawa site by relocating some services to a new post-acute care centre in Pickering.
- Later phases of the redevelopment plan under consideration include expanding the Ajax Pickering Hospital to connect more people to clinical and support services.
The precise distribution of the 300 new beds across Lakeridge Health’s various sites will be determined as part of the ongoing planning process.
Lakeridge Health serves more than 700,000 residents at five hospitals and more than 20 community health centres across Durham Region. Through this multi-phase redevelopment, the Ontario government is ensuring Lakeridge Health can continue to meet the needs of Durham Region’s rapidly growing population and provide people with care, when and where they need it.
To learn more about the current state of Lakeridge Health’s planning and updates on the projects read through our Frequently Asked Questions:
Where will the new post-acute care centre be located in Pickering?
- Announcement pending
When will the new post-acute care centre break ground?
- Lakeridge Health is still in the preliminary stages of planning, so timelines are still being established. However, the intention is for this project to move quickly.
What services will be included in the new post-acute care centre?
- While Lakeridge Health is still in the preliminary stages of planning, the Centre will care for non-critically ill patients who still need to be in a health care setting but not in an acute care hospital.
How much will the new post-acute care centre cost?
- The exact cost of this new centre is not known at this time. New capacity and expansions across the entire Lakeridge Health system could cost as much as $2 billion or more collectively.
How much does the community have to fundraise?
- New health care centres cannot be built without generous donations from municipalities, individuals, businesses and community groups. Typically, the cost is shared by the province and the “local share” or philanthropic support of community in which it will be located. Exact dollar figures have yet to be determined.
When will the new Whitby Hospital open?
- The provincial government has provided Lakeridge Health with a planning grant to work on a masterplan for health care services across all of its sites. This important work is underway, and information will be shared when it is available. It takes approximately 10 years to build a new hospital.
