Kenora, ON, October 2, 2021 – The project to redevelop Kenora’s hospital may have seemed quiet in the public eye throughout the summer, however, the project has progressed significantly.  In April of this year, Stage One was completed by submitting an extremely thorough master programming proposal including site and space analysis to the Province of Ontario, Ministry of Health (the project’s major funder).  This detailed document was a result of much work over the past 18-months by the Project Planning Team, Community Steering Committee, Consultants and was informed with feedback from our communities, our staff and our partners through an extensive first round of engagement.

May to September has had the Planning Team in discussions with the Ministry of Health surrounding details of the Stage One proposal.  These discussions have been tremendously positive and approval for the next stage is anticipated in the very near future, with Stage Two beginning this fall.   While capital projects such as this are funded through the Ministry, operating funding for public hospitals in Ontario is received through Ontario Health North (formerly the LHIN – Local Health Integrated Network).  In order for the Ministry to support this project, Ontario Health North would first need to review the Stage One proposal and indicate support for the programs and services proposed.  We are extremely pleased to share that a letter of support for the project was recently received from this body. 

The Planning Team was advised by the Province to keep details of the proposal, including recommended location confidential until discussions on Stage One have been completed.  In the upcoming next stage, a second round of engagement will launch and the team of Community Project Planners (Kathy Kishiqueb, Kenora Chiefs Advisory and Charlene Kissick, Lake of the Woods District Hospital) will begin sharing greater details of the proposal publicly as the community’s support will be critical in moving forward.   Proposed is a new hospital designed to meet modern hospital standards, both in service delivery, staff, and patient/family needs, as well as space requirements to achieve these standards.  Bed requirements for most programs remain the same but there are an increased number of beds proposed for Mental Health & Addictions to address service gaps experienced in the region. Key service delivery model themes identified in the proposal include accessibility, functionality, efficiency, blending of Western Medicine and Traditional Healing on a new campus, and building strong partnerships for service coordination with other providers across the continuum of care. 

The Steering Committee would like to acknowledge the contributions and leadership of Chief Marilyn Sinclair over the last two years, who participated on the Steering Committee as Vice Chair while serving as chief of her community.  We now welcome Chief Vernon Copenace to the Vice-Chair position as he assumes his role as chief of Washagamis Bay.  The partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is invaluable as this project moves forward, not only towards building a new hospital but also in building relationships, trust and moving reconciliation forward in our territory. 

For more information on the redevelopment of Lake of the Woods District Hospital / All Nations Hospital Project, visit https://anh.lwdh.on.ca

Aakozii-agamig gadaziigamowad gebi niibin odonokiidanawaa.  Bizhig enagonigewin ongizhiidonaawaa.  Bizindawaawag Anishinaabeg, ga-onogiiwad, ga-wiidanogiimaawad geye.  Ganiiganiiziwad ominwendanaawaa izhiinagok owe enagonigewad, gadaziigamowad aakozi-agamig. Miigo ani-dagwaagiin magi-kiigaadeg niizho enagonigewin.

Gadaziigomowad aakozi-agamig dawiindamagewag azhinagok gakinagego.

Kathy Kishiqueb (KCA), Charlene Kissick (LWDH) wiinaawaa danwiindamagewag.

Anishinaabe nadawe’igewin imaa geye dagoba’ige.

Miigwech inigaaso ogimakaan, Marilyn Sinclair giwiisooka’ige nizho baboon.  Miigwech inigaaso ogimakaan, Vernon Copenace wiidam imaa namadabi.

Miigo owe izhi-kiinwaabagegadeg gakina-awiiya gi-mino-wiijiindewad ga-aanokiidamowad aakozi-agamig midaash geshi minosig gakinagego. 

The project to redevelop Kenora’s hospital did not halt due to the pandemic, in fact, this challenging year only solidified the pressing need for a modern hospital facility. The Project Planning Team, Steering Committee, Consultants and Community Project Planners forged ahead and by the end of April 2021, stage one of the project planning phase was completed.    

The pandemic pressed the team to be extremely creative with efforts to continue gathering public input.  When the initial engagement stage wound down, 1704 hospital users had participated in 56 engagement sessions in 16 different communities, 449 online surveys were completed, and 2390 individuals were engaged through events. Two Community Projects Planners worked to gather this information, with one focused solely on gathering input from Indigenous communities.  Additionally, over 360 clinical services participants shared their expertise and ideas in focus group style work.  This extensive feedback was fundamental for informing important needs that the project must address.  This knowledge, combined with input from experts in facility planning, architecture, cost consulting, engineering, and statistical analysis, has informed an in-depth project proposal which has been formally submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Health, Health Capital Infrastructure Branch. 

Proposed is a new hospital designed to meet modern hospital standards, both in service delivery, staff, and patient/family needs, as well as space requirements to achieve these standards.  Bed requirements for most programs remain the same but there are an increased number of beds proposed for Mental Health & Addictions to address service gaps experienced in the region. Key service delivery model themes identified in the proposal include accessibility, functionality, efficiency, blending of Western Medicine and Traditional Healing on a new campus, and building strong partnerships for service coordination with other providers across the continuum of care.  Site development options were extensively explored, and a recommended site has been proposed. 

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February 8, 2021: The All Nations Hospital Project Steering Committee met recently to review planning elements which will form the Stage 1 submission to the Province of Ontario, Ministry of Health (the project’s major funder) including:

1. Technical Building Assessment
Section summarizes the structural, mechanical, electrical state of each LWDH building (the hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, old St. Joseph’s hospital and Powerhouse/Laundry).

2. Existing Building and Site Plans
Three (3) potential development options (as required by the Province) including two different options on the current site and one option on a new site have been analyzed in this section in terms of size, zoning, services, topography and cultural / community fit.

3. Master Building Plan
This section explores what a new hospital and campus could look like on each of the narrowed two potential sites.

These items were recommended by the Steering Committee and will move on for Board of Directors approval. The Stage 1 submission is expected to be presented to the Province in April 2021.

The next meeting of the Steering Committee in March will focus on recommending a site option.