Weeneebayko Area Health Authority Redevelopment Project
The Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) Redevelopment Project will transform how residents along Ontario’s James Bay and Hudson Bay coasts access healthcare in northern Ontario. This state-of-the-art regional healthcare campus will expand WAHA’s capacity to provide essential care, while embodying the cultural identity and values of the remote Cree communities it serves.
What sets this project apart is its deep community collaboration; the design of the hospital and healthcare campus is rooted in Cree culture and its traditional values, creating a space that will deliver culturally-appropriate care closer to home.
The hospital’s orientation follows the cardinal directions of the Cree Medicine Wheel — an important symbol representing holistic health and wellbeing, while the circular entry pavilion embodies the four sacred medicines: tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweetgrass. At the heart of the building, a two-storey healing space features clerestory windows that allow natural light to enter.
(Renderings © Bertrand Wheeler Architects and images © Kasian Architecture Ontario Incorporated)
- 200,000 sq ft
- Aims to achieve a Leed 4 Silver rating
Walters Group is supplying and installing the structural steel and metal deck for the construction of the hospital, ensuring a robust and reliable framework. In addition to this, Walters Group is also applying a galvanizing coating for added long-term outdoor durability and protection.
Moosonee experiences prolonged winters with substantial snowfall and harsh conditions, making outdoor construction particularly challenging. Its remote location is accessible only by air, rail, and seasonal ice road which also adds another layer of complexity.
To simplify access and minimize disruption to the community, WAHA has constructed a dedicated rail siding that branches from the main line into a project-specific rail yard, ensuring materials can arrive safely and on schedule. Modular construction methods with prefabricated components are also being utilized to minimize disruptions. A temporary workers’ camp is housed onsite to accommodate skilled workers, who travel to be on the project on a rotational basis.
