The Nelson Health Campus, currently under construction on the former Mount St. Francis site in Fairview, won’t be move-in ready until at least the spring of 2025.
Mount St. Francis Enterprises, a partnership between the Columbia Basin Trust and Golden Life Management, is developing the project and will lease the building to Interior Health to manage operations.
Once complete, the new facility will offer 75 long-term care beds to community members in need and will house the community health services currently provided at the Victoria Street Health Centre. These services, along with those at the Gordon Street Health Centre, will be moved to the Nelson Health Campus.
Interior Health (IH) said in March that it expected to take possession of the new building by fall 2024, aiming to be fully operational by early 2025.
However, according to IH Executive Director Lannon De Best, construction delays have postponed the health authority’s move-in timeline.
“Because the construction is not complete, we haven’t received permission to occupy. We are working towards a spring timeline for having ourselves and services up and running. It will be phased—our opening of services will allow us to manage all the logistics associated with moving teams from one location to another, as well as opening the Nelson Fairview Gardens long-term care facilities.”
De Best couldn’t confirm which services will be rolled out first, noting it depends on which portions of the facility are finished first.
“We’re still working with GLM as the builder to determine the best sequence for opening. At this point, I can’t say for certain which services will open first—we’re still working through that process.”
The long-term care beds haven’t been allocated to patients yet. The province oversees the allocation process through its home and care guidelines, which are based on a patient’s care needs.
Community members requiring this supportive, long-term care option are encouraged to work with their case manager to complete the steps needed to secure a bed in the facility.
“We appreciate everyone’s excitement and patience with this project, and we’re eager to get it open and allow people to see the site. It really will be a lovely place to receive care.”
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