Halton Healthcare has kicked off a speedy project to add 123 new acute care beds, aiming to increase capacity.
This construction will bring 111 new inpatient beds to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) and 12 to Milton District Hospital (MDH). The goals include better access to healthcare, shorter wait times, and the creation of modern private and semi-private rooms.
The Ontario Ministry of Health reports that this OTMH initiative is backed by over $154 million from the provincial government. Besides the new beds, it will also provide around 79,000 square feet of renovated space while generating roughly 200 jobs in the area during construction.
This expansion will utilize pre-designed but unfinished areas across three floors at OTMH- eight Centre Block, plus the third and fourth floors of the North Block, along with one floor at MDH.
Design elements include windows in patient room doors for better visibility and support for care while still allowing for privacy when necessary. At OTMH, level eight’s design will also feature extra interior vestibules at both ends of the building.
OAKVILLE TRAFALGAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL – When OTMH was first designed and built, about 80,000 square feet on the third, fourth, and eighth floors was intentionally left unfinished for future growth. This space is now being revamped.
“This project focuses on finishing up and utilizing designated ‘shelled’ spaces within our existing hospitals rather than building a completely new hospital. When OTMH was originally designed and constructed, approximately 80,000 square feet of space across the third, fourth and eighth floors was intentionally left unfinished to accommodate future growth. At MDH, we’ll create those additional 12 beds by completing renovations on one floor,” said Al Coady, senior vice-president redevelopment, facilities and retail operations at Halton Healthcare.
Coady noted that this expansion plan set for 2026 is being executed as an update on the current Design Build Finance Maintain agreement in collaboration with Parkin Architects Limited and Ellis Don to speed up project readiness and completion. Both firms were involved in designing and constructing the original OTMH which opened its doors in 2015.
According to a news release, construction is slated for completion by late 2027 with new spaces welcoming patients by spring 2028.
“This project clearly shows how careful planning and investment in hospital infrastructure can help us adapt swiftly to changing community needs. The shelled space was thoughtfully included in OTMH’s design to allow flexibility for future expansions,” Coady explained.
Halton is one of Ontario’s rapidly growing aging areas; Halton Healthcare anticipates that residents aged 75 and older could double over the next two decades.
“This investment showcases true teamwork across our health system with a unified goal of prioritizing patients,” said Melissa Farrell, president and CEO of Halton Healthcare. “By collaborating on expanding hospital capacity, we’re ensuring that individuals throughout our region have access to care when they need it most. These added beds will help cut down wait times while relieving pressure on systems-supporting safe high-quality care close to home. We appreciate our government partners’ ongoing investment toward improving care for our expanding communities.”
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