City of Burnaby donates $5 million to help fund Burnaby Hospital’s future Emergency Department

Councillors Maita Santiago, Richard T. Lee, Alison Gu, Daniel Tetrault, Pietro Calendino and Joe Keithley; Mayor Mike Hurley; Kristy James, President and CEO, Burnaby Hospital Foundation; Councillor James Wang; and Steven McKoen, Chair, Burnaby Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees. Photos submitted

BURNABY Hospital Foundation celebrated the naming of Burnaby Hospital’s Emergency Department at a reception attended by Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley, Burnaby City Council members, and Foundation staff. In honour of the City of Burnaby’s $5 million gift, the upgraded and expanded Emergency Department will be named the Burnaby Community Emergency Department.

“Emergency care is on the forefront of the minds of our residents and there is no place more deserving of support than our own Emergency Department, which plays such an essential role in addressing our community’s immediate medical needs,” says Hurley. “The City’s leadership, on behalf of all the residents in our city, are proud to invest in the future of Burnaby by supporting what our community needs – a modern, expanded Emergency Department.”

Burnaby Hospital’s Emergency Department is the second largest in the Fraser Health Authority, seeing 83,000 patients in a space that was designed for 54,000. Phase One of the redevelopment will add additional space, making it possible to expand and re-configure the current department, and allow for purchase of innovative equipment and technology. In addition, the hospital will take another step forward in patient care with private treatment bays, offering separation between patients.

Upgrades and modernization of the Emergency Department will continue through multiple phases of the redevelopment and, once complete, the Emergency Department will be able to service patients more effectively and accommodate a greater capacity.

“The Foundation shares its deepest gratitude to Mayor Hurley, Council members and the City of Burnaby for their unwavering support of an essential community resource,” says Kristy James, President and CEO of Burnaby Hospital Foundation. “The Burnaby Community Emergency Department is currently operating beyond its capacity and our talented staff are doing an admirable job, but we know the need for their skills will only increase as the city continues to grow. By supporting the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital, the City’s investment not only helps our current residents, but ensures that future generations will receive improved care in a facility designed with best practices in mind.”

A rendering of the Burnaby Community Emergency Department exterior.

The City of Burnaby continues their support for the Foundation as an event partner in the inaugural Mayor’s Lawn Bowling Tournament on June 6. Proceeds from the fun-filled afternoon will support the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital. To learn more about sponsoring or attending the event, visit https://www.bhfoundation.ca/lawn-bowling/

Construction of Phase One, which will upgrade and modernize emergency care, surgery services, maternity and mental health at the hospital is set to be completed as soon as 2025. When the entire redevelopment project is finished, the transformation will have an immediate and future impact on patients, staff, and the surrounding community as a whole.

Learn more about the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital at bhfoundation.ca/brightfuture