Patients and offenders living with mental health issues now have access to enhanced facilities and programming at the new Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford (SHNB). The Government of Saskatchewan’s $407 million investment replaces a century-old psychiatric care facility and two correctional facilities.
The new SHNB includes 188 psychiatric rehabilitation beds and a separate secure wing with 96 beds for offenders living with mental health issues, a total of 284 beds. This includes 32 more psychiatric rehabilitation beds than the old SHNB so that patients in need of care can receive it as quickly as possible. All patients from the old SHNB have been relocated and settled in to the new facility.
The project is a multi-ministry partnership between the Ministries of Health, Corrections and Policing and Central Services, along with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and SaskBuilds, to address mental health needs in the province in accordance with Saskatchewan’s 10-year Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan.
The Government of Saskatchewan’s $407 million investment includes construction and maintenance costs to keep the facility in like-new condition for 30 years under a Public-Private Partnership (P3) agreement. The P3 model selected ensures that the facility is delivered on budget, with total project cost savings estimated at $90 million compared to a traditional method of procurement. The P3 also protects the public from risks, cost overruns and time delays that are the responsibility of the private sector partner, as per the agreement.
