The Nanaimo Regional Hospital District board has approved the budget for 2025.
The $57.5 million document includes $3.5 million for capital equipment and minor projects, $10.5 million for major capital projects, and $6 million for debt servicing on major capital projects.
NRHD Chair Janice Perrino says they will ask the Province to move forward on creating a plan and timeline for the promised new patient tower and cardiac catheterization lab as soon as possible.
The new tower would feature modernized patient rooms, surgical spaces, labs and administrative areas, and support more specialized programs.
A new cardiac catheterization lab would improve timely diagnosis and reduce the need for Central and North Island patients to travel to Victoria or Vancouver for procedures that may prevent further need for surgery.
The new cancer centre at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital is expected to begin construction this year, and a long-term care facility in Lantzville is presently in the design phase.
The NRHD says it has a financial strategy to support the projects and is prepared to work with the province to move them forward, including the business case for the proposed patient tower as part of the board’s cost-sharing commitment.
The Hospital District Board is looking to minimize its reliance on debt and related debt charges, and the tax levy of 21 per cent in 2025 is expected to create a reserve contribution of over 36 million dollars and bring the reserve balance to $100 million by the end of the year.
