The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario, is updating residents on parking and transit changes as construction continues on its new heart surgery wing. This 76,000-square-foot expansion began in early 2025 and will allow local patients to receive life-saving heart procedures without traveling to southern Ontario.
Drivers should note that the Fish (A3) parking lot is closed until late June 2026 to serve as a temporary loop for picking up and dropping off patients. The Bear (B1) parking lot is closed for the duration of construction to serve as a contractor staging and equipment storage area.
City bus stops #1225 and #1292 have been moved to the north side of the hospital grounds near the Cancer Centre entrance to keep pedestrians safe. These changes are part of a massive project backed by over $93 million from the Ontario government and a $23.3 million commitment from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
The project is expected to finish in late 2027, with the full heart surgery program set to open in 2028. While the work causes temporary shifts in how people access the building, hospital officials say the goal is to provide essential care closer to home for people across Northwestern Ontario.
