A second operating room will also be built to expand the center's surgical capabilities. Currently, the center performs cataract surgeries and plastic surgery.
With the addition of the second operating room, center administrator Suzanne Telford hopes to increase the number of cataract surgeries performed annually from about 2,600 to 5,000, she said. She added that the increased volume of surgeries requires more equipment and space, so the center also plans to upgrade its medical device reprocessing.
In a statement, Innisfail Mayor Jan Barclay said various community groups within the town have been working since 2020 to improve the bay.
Mr Barclay expressed his gratitude to Minister of Transport and Economic Corridors, Devin Draychen, Member of Parliament for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, for continuing to push for the project over the years and proposing it to Minister LaGrange, given that health services are essential to the public.
“Alberta Health Services is one of the largest employers in our city,” said Barclay, “and it's amazing how many times I hear from people who have moved here that one of the biggest reasons they moved is because of this centre.”
Mr LaGrange said the State Government was investing $4.5 billion over three years to support capital projects across the state, including $512.3 million for the Capital Maintenance and Renewal Funding Program to improve and strengthen existing health infrastructure.
—
Subscribe to our free newsletter and download the rdnewsNOW mobile app on Google Play and the Apple App Store to get all the latest news on this and more.
Ashley Lavallee Koenig