A proposed new health centre and long-term care facility for Fort Simpson remains in the planning phase, the NWT government says, with a target opening date of 2033.
In a written response to Cabin Radio, the Department of Health and Social Services said funding has been allocated for that planning work. Previously, the facility had a planned opening date of 2029. Before that, residents were told 2016, then 2023.
The GNWT said it is preparing a request for proposals for geotechnical and environmental studies at an off-island site selected through engagement with the Village of Fort Simpson, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation and Fort Simpson Métis Nation.
Those studies will help determine whether the site is suitable for development, the territory said.
While the target is to open the facility in 2023, the GNWT said that timeline will be confirmed once contractor scheduling is complete.
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Work to replace the health centre was discussed at a Fort Simpson council meeting on October 13, at which councillors raised concerns about the condition of the existing health centre, including visible ceiling cracks and signs of the building sinking.
The GNWT says the current facility has been assessed and remains structurally sound and safe for occupancy, though the date of that assessment was not specified. Only critical repairs will be undertaken as needed, the territory said, while planning for its replacement continues.
The department said potential increases in healthcare demand associated with the Mackenzie Valley Highway are being considered as part of the new facility’s planning.
The GNWT said the project was not suitable for the federal Build Communities Strong Fund – which is contributing cash toward multiple other health facility projects in the territory – because the federal program’s timelines would not support a project of such scale and complexity.
