The Ontario government has broken ground on a renovation project at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital in Petrolia, supported by a provincial investment of more than $17 million.
The Bluewater Health project will renovate more than 8,200 square feet of existing space. The province says it will help connect families in Lambton County and surrounding communities to high-quality care. Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2029.
Once finished, the hospital will have an improved emergency department with better triage space, a dedicated waiting area, renovated exam rooms, a new airborne isolation room and a new ambulance entrance. The diagnostic imaging department, including the x-ray area and associated rooms, will also be upgraded, along with infrastructure such as an air handling unit.
The renovations will help Bluewater Health continue serving about 131,000 residents across the region, the province says.
“Our government is making historic investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system, ensuring that more people can connect to convenient hospital care in their community, when they need it,” said Anthony Leardi, parliamentary assistant to the minister of health. “With shovels in the ground at Bluewater Health’s Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital in Petrolia, our government is ensuring families in Lambton County can access world-class care close to home, for generations to come.”
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey said the groundbreaking is an important step for rural health care.
“Today’s groundbreaking is an exciting moment for our community and an important investment in the future of rural health care,” Bailey said. “Our government recognizes the vital role that hospitals like CEEH play in ensuring people can access quality health care in their own communities. I am proud to see this project move into construction and look forward to the positive impact these improvements will have for patients, families, and health-care professionals across Petrolia and Central Lambton.”
Paula Reaume-Zimmer, president and CEO of Bluewater Health, called the day a long-awaited milestone.
“Today’s groundbreaking marks an exciting and long-awaited milestone for Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital of Bluewater Health and the rural communities we serve. We are grateful to the Government of Ontario for its significant investment in the future of rural health care, and for recognizing the importance of accessible, high-quality care close to home. This redevelopment will modernize our emergency and diagnostic imaging departments, creating a more welcoming, functional environment for patients, families, and staff. Together with our government, municipal, and community partners, we are investing in the future of health care in Petrolia and Central Lambton for generations to come.”
The project is part of the province’s 10-year, $64-billion hospital capital plan, which includes more than 50 major hospital projects. The government says the plan is projected to support up to 30,000 jobs annually. Bluewater Health is also receiving more than $2.7 million this year through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund.
