Centre for Health Complexity

The new BC Children's Hospital centre for health complexity will be built at East 21st Avenue and Slocan Street in Vancouver. It is slated to open in early 2028. It will be the first centre of its kind in Canada.

The centre will support children up to 19 years of age who are living with complex, chronic health conditions.

Patients we will serve

Children and youth with health complexity. This includes those that:

have medical conditions that affect multiple body systems and structures
need help with daily activities such as eating and moving
have significant medical caregiving requirements

Due to advances in health care and technology, more children with health complexity are living longer lives. They represent less than 1 per cent of the pediatric population, but up to 33 per cent of child health provincial spending, and more than half of pediatric hospitalizations. Coordinated care for these children and families is an essential need.

The new centre for health complexity will fill key gaps in care for these children and their families to support their function, quality of life, and wellbeing.

The centre will provide three core services:

Care coordination: connect families with services within the health system and across sectors and improve collaboration and communication between those involved in the child’s care.
Specialized training and education: equip families to confidently care for their child at home. This service will also train health-care providers and other professionals to support children with health complexity in the communities in which they live.
Family wellness and support services: provide emotional support and social connection for parents, caregivers, and siblings

We will offer services virtually and in person for children who live across B.C. and Yukon. The centre will include 16 dedicated suites for children and families for short, planned stays to access the centre’s services.

We are designing the new building and services with extensive input from patients, families and caregivers, clinical and non-clinical staff, operational leaders, Indigenous partners and other care and service providers who work with children with health complexity.

A 74-space community daycare will be built on the site and will be operated independently from the centre.

Capital budget and timeline

The capital cost of the project is $309.896 million, with $40 million supported by the BC Children's Hospital Foundation, along with an additional $20 million for building enhancements, for a total of $60 million in Foundation support.

Project schedule and milestones – subject to change:

Business plan submitted: fall 2021
Business plan approved: spring 2022
Rezoning: winter 2022 – winter 2023
Development permit: spring 2023 – fall 2024
Procurement: spring 2023 - summer 2024
Demolition: fall 2023 - fall 2024
Design-build contract award: summer 2024
Detailed design: summer 2024 - spring 2026
Building permit: fall 2024 - summer 2025
Construction: winter 2025 - winter 2027
Facility opens: early 2028

All work at the site follows City of Vancouver noise control bylaw 6555. We inform neighbours by email and mail flyers of any exemptions to the bylaw. You can sign up to receive regular construction updates through our e-newsletter.

Building design and construction

We are designing a unique, purpose-built facility to effectively meet the needs of the children, families, caregivers, and health-care providers who will use the new centre. We chose the design-builder Ledcor through a two-step competitive process. The architectural partner is Diamond Schmitt and the landscape architect is Connect Landscape Architecture.

A rendering of the new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity — The main entrance to the centre will be off Slocan Street and will feature mass timber elements and a pitched roof. Access to the parkade can be seen to the right.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity secondary entrance — A secondary entrance off E 21st Avenue will be for families arriving at the child and family suites - a special portion of the building where families will come for short, pre-planned stays.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity wellness path — A wellness path will allow children in mobility devices and their families to access the extensive green space around the centre. The majority of the mature trees on site will be retained.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity atrium — The centre's design features a ramp and atrium connecting three floors. The ramp will support the children’s sense of individual choice and control, facilitating their navigation throughout the building.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity cafeteria — The cafeteria will have access to an outdoor patio.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity lobby — Wood elements and natural, rounded forms make the main lobby warm and welcoming.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity lobby lounge and fireplace — The lobby includes a lounge and fireplace.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity child room — The centre includes 16 suites where children and families will be able to come for short, pre-planned stays to receive in-person services. Each suite includes a child room, shown here.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity family room — The caregiver/family side of the child and family suites.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity inner courtyard — Two inner courtyards in the child and family suites, along with multiple balconies and patios, provide outdoor spaces on every level and ensure plenty of natural light throughout the centre.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity teaching kitchen — Families and caregivers will learn how to prepare special meals for their children with health complexity in a dedicated teaching kitchen. The kitchen is designed for both in-person and virtual training.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity care coordination hub — The care coordination hub on the third floor will bring staff together in one place, enabling a team-based approach to care.

The new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity meeting room — Several large meeting rooms, with views to the outdoors, will be fitted with state-of-the-art technology to enable virtual care.

Design features

The 120,524-square-foot centre will include several innovative spaces tailored for children with health complexity and their families:

Three-level accessible ramp and multi-storey atrium
All-Nations space, outdoor plaza, and healing garden for Indigenous patients and families
Sixteen patient and family suites for short, planned overnight stays, with family kitchen and dining areas
Family resource centre and sibling support centre
Access to the outdoors from all levels through courtyards and patios

News

Join our mailing list for regular project updates

Construction begins on centre for children with health complexity (April 25, 2025)
Preparation for construction begins at BC Children's Hospital centre for health complexity site (August 28, 2024)
Centre for children with health complexity moves closer to construction (August 22, 2024)
Redefining health-care infrastructure for children with complex needs (October 27, 2023)
Designing a brand-new clinical program for children with health complexity (July 26, 2023)
Centre for children with complex care needs takes shape with new renderings (May 23, 2023)
Complex care centre for young people moves forward (May 17, 2023)
Families test layout of patient suites for new centre for children with health complexity (December 8, 2022)
From smallpox hospital to new centre for children and youth with health complexity (July 4, 2022)
Centre for young people with extraordinary health needs takes next step (April 22, 2022)

Contact us

For questions or to get involved, contact slocaninfo@phsa.ca.

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