Edmonton, Alberta-based PCL Construction has signed an agreement with the province of Nova Scotia for the construction of the main portion of the Halifax Infirmary Expansion Project as part of Plenary PCL Health, a joint venture, the builder announced on Feb. 19. The project will cost $7.4 billion Canadian dollars ($5.2 billion), according to the province of Nova Scotia.
Alongside PCL, the joint venture includes Los Angeles-based infrastructure firm Plenary Americas as developer and equity investor, per PCL. Amsterdam-based Arcadis and Toronto-based B+H Architects will serve as architects on the project.
As part of the scope of work, PCL and the construction team will erect a 14-floor acute care tower, which includes 216 beds, 16 operating rooms and a 48-bed intensive care unit, per the news release. The JV will also double the size of the current emergency department.
The new tower will contain state-of-the-art equipment, a satellite diagnostic imaging department in the emergency department, new and upgraded lab spaces and additional treatment areas.
The expansion marks the largest healthcare infrastructure project ever undertaken in Atlantic Canada, said Michelle Thompson, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Health and Wellness, in the province’s news release.
“It will ensure generations of Nova Scotians get the cutting-edge care they deserve, provide a modern workplace for the dedicated staff at the Halifax Infirmary, and help us attract and hire the healthcare staff we need,” Thompson said.
Enabling works on the site began in Spring 2024, according to the contractor. Construction on the main phase will ramp up this spring as cranes are installed and work begins on the foundations. The tower is expected to reach substantial completion in fall 2030, and open to the public in fall 2031, according to the province.
