The new Neepawa Health Centre in Neepawa, Manitoba is now set to open in late summer or early fall 2027, a delay from the previously expected early 2027 opening. Prairie Mountain Health says the extra months will give teams time to finish construction, test systems, and train staff before patients move in.
The $127-million project was first announced in December 2021 by the former Progressive Conservative government with a 2025 completion target. As of January 2026, construction was roughly 75 percent complete. The new building will be about three and a half times larger than the existing hospital.
Once finished, the health centre will have 60 acute care inpatient beds, up from 35 today. It will also include a nine-station hemodialysis suite, six chemotherapy treatment stations, an expanded emergency department with an ambulance bay, and a helipad for outbound patient transfers. These are services many area residents currently travel hours to access.
Prairie Mountain Health CEO Treena Slate confirmed the postponement on Wednesday, saying it will allow “appropriate time to onboard and train staff and familiarize teams with the new facility.” Nurse union president Darlene Jackson questioned the logic of delaying opening to train in an old facility, saying she does not understand why staff cannot train in the new building itself.
Progressive Conservative MLA Jodie Byram, who represents the area, said the delay could add more pressure to already strained healthcare resources. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the province is working with Prairie Mountain Health to recruit and train staff so teams are familiar with the space before welcoming patients.
