Posted: July 17, 2025

Expanded hospital will help protect Ontario’s health-care system by increasing services and reducing wait times

Kitchener, ON, July 17, 2025 - The Ontario government is investing an additional $10 million to support the planning and construction of a new Waterloo Regional Health Network hospital, connecting more patients and families in the Waterloo Region to more convenient, high-quality care close to home.

“Our government is making historic investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system, ensuring that more people in Waterloo Region can connect to the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing to build a brand-new Waterloo Regional Health Network hospital, we are making it faster and easier for more people and their families to access world-class care in their community, for generations to come.”

This funding builds on the Ontario government’s previous investment of $5 million and will allow Waterloo Regional Health Network to advance planning to build a new acute-care hospital in Waterloo. This state-of-the-art facility will expand capacity, improve services and reduce wait times, ensuring the hospital can continue to meet the needs of the rapidly growing region for years to come.

Once opened, the new hospital would include:

  • Increased patient capacity to meet the community’s future needs and allow more people to connect to care sooner
  • More access to core programs, emergency services and critical care
  • Expanded cardiac clinics as part of the Regional Cardiac Care Centre, increasing access to life-saving cardiac care
  • Medical imaging, diagnostic services and enhanced surgical spaces
  • Maternal, newborn and pediatric care
  • Modernized medical and surgical inpatient units to allow people to receive vital surgeries and procedures sooner

The new hospital site is located on the University of Waterloo lands west of Bearinger Road and Hagey Boulevard in Waterloo, making it easier and more convenient for people living in Waterloo and the surrounding region to access world-class care in the community.

Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is expanding and modernizing Ontario’s hospitals, making it faster and easier for people of all ages to connect to the high-quality care they need, where and when they need it.

QUICK FACTS

  • As a next step, the Ministry of Health is working with Waterloo Regional Health Network to complete early planning for this project, including determining bed numbers and square footage.
  • Waterloo Regional Health Network operates over 680 beds across three sites that provide a range of services, contributing to over approximately 482,000 annual patient visits in Waterloo Region, including cardiac care, cancer care, mental health and addictions and critical care.
  • On April 1, 2025, Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital merged to form the Waterloo Regional Health Network.
  • Over the next 10 years, Ontario is investing nearly $60 billion on major health infrastructure. This is part of the government’s plan to get shovels in the ground on more than 50 major hospital projects across the province, which will deliver approximately 3,000 new hospital beds and build a connected, people-first health-care system.
  • The Ontario government invested more than $228 million in 2024-25 to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs at 129 hospitals and 58 community health-care facilities across the province, a 10 per cent increase from the previous year.
  • In 2024-25, Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital received $1,520,074 and $1,337,921 respectively, through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, to support the critical infrastructure needs of the hospitals.

QUOTES

“Our government continues to take action to protect Ontario by investing in a stronger, more resilient health-care system. Through up to $1.1 billion in additional hospital funding in Ontario Budget 2025, projects like this will improve access to care, but also support job creation and long-term growth in communities across the province.”

Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance

“This is a monumental step forward for health care in Waterloo Region. As one of the fastest-growing communities in Ontario, we need a health-care system that can keep pace with our growth. This investment in a brand-new innovative hospital right here in Waterloo will expand access to emergency care, specialized services, and critical infrastructure for families across our region.”

Mike Harris, MPP, Kitchener—Conestoga

“This announcement isn’t just about a new acute-care hospital—it’s a critical investment in Waterloo Region’s health innovation ecosystem. Our community is already home to more than 100 health technology companies and cutting-edge hubs like the Innovation Arena, Velocity, MIX, and WMT. A modern hospital here won’t just better serve local families—it will anchor a network of research and innovation across southwestern Ontario, accelerating breakthroughs and driving job growth.”

Jess Dixon, MPP, Kitchener South—Hespeler

“I am proud to support this vital investment that brings us one step closer to a new, state-of-the-art hospital for our growing region. This funding ensures that families in Cambridge and across Waterloo Region will have greater access to high-quality, timely care closer to home.”

Brian Riddell, MPP, Cambridge

“We are sincerely grateful to the Government of Ontario for this important investment in the future of health care for our Region. As one of the fastest-growing areas in the province, Waterloo Region requires modern, innovative infrastructure to meet the increasing and evolving needs of the people we serve. This investment will support the planning of our new hospital that will ensure access to high-quality care, support healthier families for generations to come, and strengthen the overall health system in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. We look forward to continued collaboration with the Ministry of Health, our local MPPs, and our community partners as we work together to bring this transformative project to life.” Ron Gagnon, President and CEO, Waterloo Regional Health Network

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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Media Contact 

Sarah Farwell  

Vice President, Strategy, Communications & Public Affairs

Waterloo Regional Health Network  

sarah.farwell@wrhn.ca

226-339-1903