Work has now started to prepare the site at Royal Inland Hospital for construction of the nearly $400 million patient care tower.

 The new CEO of the Interior Health Authority Susan Brown says people may have noticed activity at the hospital.

“We are in final negotiations of the contract there but we do have the opportunity to start some work on the site through an early agreement,” she said.

“As you know EllisDon Infrastructure is the proponent who is there. So we are starting. Things are happening.”

Construction will take place in two stages – Phase 1 will be the design and construction and Phase 2 includes significant renovation and expansion to things like the emergency department.

The new tower is anticipated to be open for patients in early 2022.