Brant Community Health Care System (BCHS) launched an online survey to collect input on how the location of the new hospital should be chosen on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
After receiving a $12.5 million dollar planning grant from the provincial government on May 15, 2025, the BCHS Board of Directors have officially moved forward with looking into the site selection process for a new hospital in the Brantford-Brant community.
“Back in March of 2022 we received our first planning grant from the [Ontario] Ministry of Health, and that was $2.5 million. The one we got on May 15, which was announced as part of the provincial budget, is $12.5 million and it’s the second top up to the first grant we received,” said Bonnie Camm, President and CEO of BCHS. “As part of that second planning grant, it was announced that it [the site of the new hospital] could be on a greenfield site, which essentially allows us to really consider what is the best possible place for a new hospital in our growing community.”
Camm said the Board has since empowered an Independent Task Force, which is composed of Brantford-Brant community members, along with representatives from Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, to help lead the site identification process.
Those sitting on the Task Force are: Chair Don Shilton, a retired hospital president; Alison Newton, CAO for the County of Brant; Amos Key Jr., A Councillor for Six Nations of the Grand River; Jodi Rock, Indigenous Health Liaison for the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation; and Nicole Wilmot, Brantford’s Chief Planner.
In order to make sure the process is as transparent, fair, unbiased and consistent, a fairness advisor has also been appointed alongside the Task Force.
“The Task Force has been empowered by the Board to really lead this process and will make recommendations back to the Board by spring 2026,” said Camm. “The intent is that the Task Force represents the community, and so they will be conducting a community engagement process first to hear from the community as to what the priorities are, what they feel is important, what would matter for a new hospital, and what might be things to consider for a new site.”
Camm said that the launch of the new online survey is important as getting the community’s input is an integral part of an already laid out process.
“This is a once-in-a-generation project for the community and so it’s really important that it’s done with the community, and that they have a say in how this is formed and what the decision is at the end of the day,” she said.
Looking at the next steps, once the Task Force develops what the selection site criteria may be, all of the information will be gathered and submitted to the Board to help to inform the call of proposal.
“Ideally, the Board is in a position to receive that information for April of 2026, and our target is that it will, along with our functional planning, be ready for fall of 2026, and that the submission to the provincial government for consideration will be set for the next budget cycle,” said Camm. “So those are some of the steps along the way, and this is a process that other hospitals have used and we’re really following leading practice with respect to engaging the community and ensuring that we’re coming up with a very unbiased, transparent and fair process.”
As far as where the new hospital may be located or when building will get under way, nothing has been finalized.
“Timeline wise, it’s very much dependent on several factors, including, of course, our Ministry partnership, but I would say that we’ll do everything we can to try to expedite moving forward with this hospital,” said Camm.
For those looking to take part in the online survey, please visit: www.hospitalsurvey.ca
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
