A milestone in the ongoing effort to build a new mega hospital in Windsor-Essex.
In its budget released Wednesday afternoon, the Ontario government pledged $9.8-million to support the Stage 2 planning process for the $2-billion project.
Something Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO David Musyj is calling "exciting news" for the entire region.
Musyj says Premier Doug Ford kept a promise made last summer.
"In 2017 when the previous government announced this, it was a promise they made that unfortunately they did not keep. Premier Ford stepped up the plate, made a promise that this was going to be the number one priority and he was going to be an 800-pound gorilla and make it happen and the 800-pound gorilla delivered."
He says the hard work has just begun.
"Stage 2 planning, that's where you put into words how the hospital is going to function. Then you take those words and you give it to architects to design a hospital around those words. You can design the most beautiful hospital you want, but if it's not functional it's not functional."
Musyj says good news has been hard to come by since the pandemic began last March.
"There hasn't been a lot to be happy about in the last 13 months. Short of the birth of my son and marriage to my wife, this is up there. So I can't be happier. Really, it's unbelievable."
Musyj says, with the funding in place, the more in-depth Stage 2 planning process can begin right away — he estimates this phase to take roughly two years to complete.
The new hospital will be located on 60-acres of land at the corner of County Rd. 42 and the 9th Concession.
There's no word yet on when construction will begin.