Major upgrades to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital are beginning to take shape, with Island Health now tasked with concept planning for a new patient tower and other services. (Image Credit: Island Health)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

first steps

Island Health begins ‘concept plan’ for new Nanaimo hospital patient tower

Feb 23, 2026 | 11:08 AM

NANAIMO — Early planning is officially getting underway for upgrades to NRGH.

Island Health confirmed Monday, Feb. 23, they’ve started the process of developing a “concept plan” for expansion of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital campus,”expanding acute and cardiac services to deliver care for patients closer to home.”

Key focus points for the expansion are a new patient tower, enhancement of cardiac and acute care services and development of a companion integrated care plan.

“A companion integrated care plan will be developed to ensure patients get the care they need in the right care setting,” Island Health noted in a social media post. “This is an important first step toward strengthening care and planning for the needs of a growing community.”

The announcement from Island Health comes nearly a week after the provincial government made its first in-writing commitment to substantial upgrades at NRGH.

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Their budget, delivered Tuesday, Feb. 17, included language stating they were “advancing the development of new acute care projects, including the launch of initial planning for expansion at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.”

While no dollar figure was tied to the work, the budget did account for $2.8 billion in new funding for healthcare over the next three years, a substantial amount of which is earmarked for “new and expanded hospitals and health care facilities throughout the province.”

A new patient tower and catheterization lab at NRGH were election promises made by David Eby in the lead-up to the 2024 provincial election.

They came amid increasing community pressure from local government and advocacy groups for equal healthcare opportunities for residents north and south of the Malahat.

Residents in the Greater Victoria area have access to nearly triple the number of hospital beds, 10 times the number of cardiologists, five times more gastrointestinal specialists, and four times the number of adult psychiatrists were highlighted in Victoria, compared to NRGH.

Recent improvements to NRGH have been focused on additions to the current facility, including a new high acuity unit opened last year, coupled with a new intensive care unit opened in 2023.

Construction is also underway for the Nanaimo Cancer Centre, slated to open in 2028.

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