GUELPH — Construction is underway on the phased expansion of the emergency department at Guelph General Hospital (GGH), making it faster and easier for people in Guelph, Wellington and surrounding communities to connect to emergency mental health and addictions care closer to home.
“Our government is protecting Ontario’s health care system and ensuring that more people in Guelph and across Wellington County can connect to convenient mental health and addictions care, when they need it most,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing in the relocation and expansion of Guelph General Hospital’s emergency mental health and addictions services, we are making it faster and easier for more people to access emergency care and mental health services they need faster and for years to come.”
The province is investing over $21 million to support the first phase of the expansion, which includes renovating approximately 23,000 square feet of space to relocate the hospital’s existing emergency mental health and addictions services unit from the emergency department to a new, dedicated space within the hospital. This relocation will allow more patients and their families to access enhanced mental health and addictions support services while freeing up over 12 per cent more space in theemergency department to connect more patients to the right level of emergency care, as quickly as possible.
Once opened, GGH’s new mental health and addictions services unit will include:
- Expanded capacity in the Short Stay Assessment Unit from four to eight beds to monitor and treat more adult patients experiencing psychiatric emergencies
- A new emergency follow-up service that will increase individual and group counselling services by 14 per cent to help more than 2,220 patients stabilize before being discharged and reduce re-admissions
- A new walk-in patient intake zone
- Additional ambulance capacity from two to three by building a new three-bay ambulance garage with a dedicated offload area, reducing offload wait times in the emergency department
- A brand new reception area in the emergency department, including a new waiting room and triage area
People will continue to have 24/7 access to the emergency department while construction is underway, with construction expected to be completed in spring 2026. On average more than 60,000 patients visit the emergency department at Guelph General Hospital every year, with local demand only expected to increase as the Guelph-Wellington region continues to grow. The phased redevelopment of the hospital’s emergency department will renovate existing infrastructure and enhance emergency services to ensure families can conveniently connect to high-quality care in a comfortable and modern space.
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is expanding and modernizing Ontario’s hospitals, making it faster and easier for people of all ages to connect to the high-quality care they need, where and when they need it.
Quick Facts
- GGH provides comprehensive acute care and a range of health care services to more than 200,000 people who live in Guelph and Wellington County. Services at the hospital include 24-hour emergency coverage, advanced technology and diagnostic support and vascular surgery.
- Over the next 10 years, Ontario’s investments will lead to nearly $50 billion in health infrastructure across the province, building 3,000 new beds in addition to over 3,500 critical care, acute and post-acute beds our government has added since 2020.
- Through the Your Health plan, Ontario is getting shovels in the ground for over 50 hospital developments across the province.
- The Ontario government invested more than $228 million in 2024-25 to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs at 129 hospitals and 58 community health care facilities across the province, a 10 per cent increase from the previous year. This includes an allocation of $805,660 for GGH in 2024-2025 through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund.
Quotes
“Guelph General Hospital serves residents from across the region. Today we take another important step forward to ensure people can get the care they need in a timely manner. Thank you to Minister Jones for her leadership on this important project.”
– Joseph Racinsky
MPP for Wellington—Halton Hills
“Our government will continue to make historic investments in our health care system across the province and locally. This investment will ensure we have more care closer to home, and help reduce ambulance offload wait times, freeing up more ambulances across Wellington County.”
– Matthew Rae
MPP for Perth—Wellington
“This is an important step forward in enhancing the care we provide at Guelph General Hospital. With patient volumes far exceeding what our facilities were built for, this upgrade will allow us to better meet the needs of our community, especially those seeking care for mental health and addictions. It’s a meaningful investment in patient safety and dignity as we lay the groundwork for a future new hospital.”
– Mark Walton
President and CEO, Guelph General Hospital
