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BARRIE, ONT. — With Barrie, Innisfil and surrounding communities growing in population, the Royal Victoria Health Centre is in need of a new plan.

Such is the reason why an extensive capital expansion plan is underway that will add new programs and expand existing services at the Barrie campus, while also building a new campus in Innisfil.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s in store.

Barrie Campus (3 to 5 Years)

This phase looks at the redevelopment at the existing health centre, which will bring expanded regional and acute care programs such as:

• Cardiac
• Cancer
• Dialysis
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 
• Maternal and Child
• Outpatient clinics
• Rotary Place (to allow for more teaching and research opportunities)

Innisfil Campus (5 to 8 Years*)

A new health hub will be built at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Innisfil Beach Road, across from the Innisfil civic campus and include services such as:

• An urgent care centre 
• Day surgery capacity
• A diagnostic centre with medical imaging and lab
• Outpatient clinics
• 180 new beds for transitional care, rehab, and seniors’ care 

Looking beyond the 10-year mark, the hospital explains there are proposals for additional expansion of the Barrie campus that could include inpatient units, operating rooms, emergency and critical care. At the Innisfil campus, a full-service hospital is planned for the 20-year mark.   

But before shovels can hit the dirt, the Ministry of Health requires a comprehensive planning process before granting approval for the redevelopment or construction. Depending on the pace of the approval process and the size of the project, it can take three to eight years before construction is completed, the RVH website reads.

An initial Stage 1.2 proposal was submitted to the ministry on March 30, 2022. Then a revised Stage 1.2 plan was submitted on Sept. 25, 2024. 

Now Stage 1.3, the functional program phase, is in the works. This is where the project’s scope, including the proposed programs and services, are defined and finalized.