Kenora, ON, October 20, 2023 – Together in partnership, Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) and Ogimaawabiitong Kenora Chiefs Advisory (KCA) have completed planning to replace the current facility with a new hospital that will serve all patients, with a blend of Western Medicine and Traditional Healing on a modern, new campus.  This will ensure that everyone has the services they require for their care needs.

Extensive consultation with staff, partners, the public and other health care facilities has taken place over the last four years to inform an in-depth proposal for government consideration (as a public hospital, the project is primarily funded by the provincial government).  The proposal includes the above recommended campus and the following proposed physical and service enhancements:

• A larger physical building and campus
• 100% single patient rooms
• MRI
• An ER that is right-sized for major treatment and rapid assessment (lighter care, non-acute zone - 6 seats), minor treatment rooms (2 patients), treatment rooms (12), and mental health treatment rooms (3)
• Surgical Services: 3 ORs, procedure room, post-anesthesia recovery room, pre-admission clinic, day surgery unit
• Ceremonial room, Indigenous Resource Centre, traditional kitchen, traditional healing rooms, quiet rooms, multi-faith room, Sweat Lodge and landscaped spaces
• Bariatric rooms
• 4 ICU beds with negative pressure and virtual bedside consult capacity

LWDH and KCA now await government direction for the project to move forward.  Next stages include finalizing the design, contract document development and finally – construction! 

Thank you to the project Steering Committee for their work throughout the planning stages and ongoing commitment as the project moves forward. Engagement with the public and partners including First Nations, Elders and Knowledge Keepers will be ongoing throughout the design phase. 

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To keep informed on the project, please follow the Lake of the Woods District Hospital on Facebook and visit the All Nations Hospital Project website to subscribe to receive the most up-to-date information -  https://anh.lwdh.on.ca/. 

The All Nations Hospital Project is a community project, focused not only on creating an inclusive, efficient facility staffed by compassionate and caring individuals but also on building relationships to strengthen our community. Mamoo’kandaa oshi aakoziiwigamig.  Working together for our new hospital. 

For further information please contact:
Charlene Kissick, Brand Management Lead
Lake of the Woods District Hospital
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
807-468-9861, ext 2599

Kenora, ON, December 2, 2022 – In September the All Nations Hospital Project Steering Committee shared some proposed areas of the new hospital project which would be new or enhanced.  This includes Mental Health & Addictions, Indigenous Health Services, Diagnostic Imaging, Surgical Services, Transitional Care and Palliative Care.  While many of these enhancements MUST wait for the new hospital due to physical limitations in the current facility, there are some that can begin NOW, not waiting for the new hospital. 

In Stage 1 of the new hospital project extensive public engagement was done in our region (in our urban and rural settings, with First Nations communities and with seasonal residents) and several themes were identified.  One such theme was the need for support for Indigenous patients and their families as they navigate the health system, which often begins at the hospital. 

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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.