While the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI) maintains that the construction of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital is progressing steadily, a partial opening in December 2026 is deemed unrealistic, according to Jade St-Jean, spokesperson for the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest.

“The CISSSMO’s executive team had genuinely hoped to welcome patients in December 2026. Until recently, our teams were working on various scenarios to meet this target, such as taking early possession of Block A to offer outpatient services. However, these scenarios proved to be unfeasible,” St-Jean confirmed to Néomédia.

The SQI echoed this sentiment. “Different scenarios were evaluated in collaboration with CISSSMO to optimize the timeline and enable a partial opening in 2026. However, this option turned out to be unrealistic without compromising the quality, budget, and sustainability of this major project,” explained Anne-Marie Gagnon, communications advisor.

Pandemic Impact and Labor Shortages Cited

The SQI attributes the delay to several factors, particularly “delays caused by tendering phases amid a pandemic context, which led to market overheating and labor shortages,” the organization stated via email.

Originally scheduled for late 2026, the hospital's opening could now, in the best-case scenario, take place in the summer of 2027. “It’s important to note that an activation phase is required between the delivery of the infrastructure by the SQI and the hospital’s opening by CISSSMO,” Gagnon added.

Preparations Continue Despite Delays

Despite the setback, CISSSMO assures that clinical preparations are ongoing to ensure a smooth transition leading up to the hospital's opening. Key preparations include:

• Planning clinical processes;
• Developing a workforce plan;
• Acquiring Phase P0 and P1 equipment;
• Implementing a training and orientation program for incoming staff.

Updates to the project’s timeline are currently being revised.

The new hospital represents an investment of $2.595 billion and will feature 404 beds. Upon completion, it will employ over 3,800 staff members. As for whether the delays will increase the final cost, neither the SQI nor the CISSSMO could provide an answer at this time.