The Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) Redevelopment Project has achieved financial close which will bring a new state-of-the-art regional healthcare campus to Moosonee, Ontario and a new ambulatory care center to Moose Factory Island, Ontario.

Global integrated design firm Stantec is providing planning, design, and conformance (PDC) services for the 445,000-square-foot project. The C$1.8 billion new regional healthcare campus and ambulatory care centre will provide expanded opportunities for healthcare excellence and innovation.

The new hospital in Moosonee will include inpatient beds in private rooms, an expanded 24/7 emergency department, modern surgical suites, dialysis treatments and diagnostic imaging, and expanded mental health and addictions programming—helping improve access and quality care for some of Ontario’s most remote Indigenous communities. This new regional healthcare campus will also include a new long-term Elder care lodge, allowing local Elders to remain in the region while receiving care, and a new hostel for patients and families from coastal communities who require accommodation while they or their loved one accesses healthcare services. 

Healthcare services provided by the existing hospital on Moose Factory Island will be replaced by services from the new modern ambulatory care centre, including emergency health services and access to primary healthcare.

Embracing design for Indigenous communities 

One of the main goals of this project is to provide an elevated level of healthcare in the region while incorporating culturally impactful design. In addition to serving the town of Moosonee, the new hospital will serve six other Indigenous communities in the western James Bay and Hudson Bay region. This project is also being designed in a spirit of collaboration and reconciliation through a thoughtful series of community engagement sessions and user group workshops.

“These new modern facilities will be examples of best practices in healthcare design by creating an expanded space for welcoming and innovative care,” said Andrew Brimble, principal for Stantec’s Health sector. “We are honored to help bring culturally sensitive healthcare that supports the health and well-being of Indigenous communities.”

Improving health worldwide through the power of design 

The collective PDC services provide design excellence focused on optimal clinical operations, flexibility, sustainability, and accessibility. Stantec has provided PDC services for a number of healthcare facilities in Canada, including South Niagara Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital, Groves Memorial Community Hospital, Milton District Hospital and Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital for Halton Healthcare Services, Bridgepoint Health Redevelopment, and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.

Stantec draws on global expertise to deliver progressive healthcare environments that improve patient outcomes and attract top care teams. The firm is consistently ranked among the top five design firms worldwide by Modern Healthcare, ENR, and Building Design & Construction. Learn more about health design at Stantec.