Shovels will be going in the ground next month for the new multi-billion-dollar Fancsy Family Hospital in Windsor-Essex.
Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO Kristin Kennedy announced Thursday evening during the hospital’s annual general meeting that they will officially break ground on construction of the first phase of the new hospital in July.
A building permit has been obtained, and hydro has been brought to the site in preparation for this work.
EllisDon will first begin by preparing the property for the construction with trailers, hoarding, fencing, and other other site preparations-with excavation and construction following as soon as the necessary logistics are in place.
Kennedy says the initial phase will be prepping the site.
“Looking at hoarding, fencing, bringing equipment in, setting up electrical and trailers before we move into the excavation phase.”
She says this provides validation to the community that things are moving along.
“It gives them reassurance that we are moving forward and the team here at Windsor Regional Hospital has been working very diligently not only over the last decade, but over the last few months to really optimize the submission and be able to work with the Ministry [of Health] on getting the rubber stamp.”
Brandon Bailey, Vice President of Redevelopment at Windsor Regional Hospital, says construction will continue from here on out.
“The beauty of what we’re doing here and why this is such an exciting milestone is that it’s just the beginning. We’ll never stop construction from this point going forward until the Fancsy Family Hospital is completely delivered to the community. So we’re starting on the northwest corner through Phase 1, and we’re not stopping construction until it’s done.”
During the AGM, a $14-million donation was also announced by the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation. Roughly $6-million of that will go to the Fancsy Family Hospital, while the remaining amount will go to the Ouellette Campus for their new catheterization lab.
Construction of the multi-billion-dollar hospital at County Road 42 and the 9th Concession, not far from Windsor Airport, is being split into three phases.
An updated price tag for the project was not provided.
Phase 1 involves the construction of a three-storey Education and Administrative Centre and simulation centre, a 700-vehicle parking garage, and other site infrastructure. EllisDon Construction was selected as the construction manager for this phase, and construction is expected to begin in mid-2026.
Phase 2 is the largest part of the project, involving the construction of a five-storey Diagnostic and Treatment Block that will include Emergency and Trauma Services, Regional Cancer Services, Surgical Services, and Women’s and Children’s Services along with advanced diagnostics and the central utility plant.
Phase 3, which will focus on the Inpatient Tower, a nine-storey building that will house the majority of the hospital’s inpatient beds, the In-Centre Dialysis Unit, and essential support services.
Once complete, the new hospital will have 50 per cent more space than the current two hospital sites—the Ouellette Campus and the Met Campus—combined.