The Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation’s 2025 Annual General Meeting held a strong focus on the health facility’s multi-phase expansion project that broke ground in 2023 and remains on track.
Foundation Board Chair Ben Friesen said that for him, it has been exciting seeing the project take shape.
“It just continues to give you so much momentum, and everybody is so happy to see it going,” said Friesen. “Every time [we] ask, it’s on schedule and it’s even sometimes a little bit ahead.”
Construction milestones
Since April 2024, construction has advanced significantly. Both the inpatient expansion and the Community Services Building are now fully enclosed, with interior work well underway. Most finishes have been completed within the inpatient wing, and new generators have been installed in the Energy Centre.
Among the mentioned new spaces soon to open was the echocardiography suite — a diagnostic unit expected to reduce the number of patients needing to travel for heart testing.
“From this region right here, southern Manitoba region, there are 2,200 trips per year made to Winnipeg to get an echocardiogram done,” Friesen explained. “We know this will save 2,200 trips down highway 3 going to Winnipeg,” he added, noting that not only will this save people trips to Winnipeg, but also save wear and tear on the highway.
Community support behind the campaign
Friesen credited strong local support for helping the Foundation meet its ambitious fundraising goal of $10 million.
“People got on board like right from the start,” he said. “When we first started, it was very daunting… they were spending 100 million and probably more. But we did have a good plan, and the community just was behind it like 100% right from the start.”
He added that donations have come from across the region and from all age groups, including students and families inspired to give back.
“It’s a very rewarding commitment to be working on… this whole region is expanding,” he said, “We need to keep expanding the facility, and this whole area can become a wellness centre.”
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Supporting more than just brick and mortar
While the expansion has dominated headlines, Friesen stressed the Foundation’s ongoing support for core hospital services remains a top priority, including programs like palliative care, spiritual care, and essential equipment needs.
“We don’t want to be just spending money for no reason,” he said. “As the expansion part gets opened up, there will be some other equipment needs. We are currently helping them with their pediatrics program… trying to get that Level 2 nursery in the NICU Centre.”
The Foundation is also developing a long-term strategic plan to guide how future funds are directed, especially as board leadership evolves.
“We’re not working with a few thousand — we’re working with millions… we need a plan in place that the new board members coming on can see what the foundation is here for,” said Friesen. “Because it’s not just this one expansion. This will go over, and then there’s something else.”
Now more than two years into the expansion, Friesen described the experience as not only transformational for the facility but for the Foundation itself.
“This really stepped us up to another level… it was a learning experience for every one of us on the board.”
To keep track of the status of BTHC projects, be sure to check out their website by clicking here.
- with files from Kyle MacNair -
