Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) has reached an important milestone in the site identification process for a new hospital serving Brantford-Brant and surrounding communities.

In the public Call for Land issued in December 2025, landowners were invited to submit properties for consideration against a clearly defined set of mandatory criteria developed with input from the community, TeamBCHS, system partners, technical experts, and First Nations and local Indigenous communities.

Following the close of Stage 1 on February 10, 2026, the independent Site Identification Task Force completed its review of all submissions received against the mandatory criteria. In keeping with the Task Force’s commitment to a fair and consistent approach, every site was assessed using the same pass/fail requirements.

Landowners whose sites satisfied the mandatory criteria have now been notified and provided with instructions to submit a Stage 2 proposal. Landowners whose sites did not meet the mandatory criteria have also been notified with details on why their sites are not advancing.

In Stage 2, the Task Force will assess qualifying sites against a different set of evaluated criteria that consider factors such as:

  • access and connectivity,
  • overall cost considerations,
  • feasibility of servicing and infrastructure,
  • planning and zoning considerations, and
  • other site features that support a modern hospital environment and long-term community needs

“The close of Stage 1 represents solid progress,” said Don Shilton, Chair of the Site Identification Task Force. “Our focus remains on doing this work carefully and objectively so that the recommendation ultimately brought forward is in the best interest of patients, families, and the broader Brantford-Brant community.”

The need for a new hospital remains clear. The community continues to grow, and BCHS’ existing infrastructure is aging and increasingly challenged to support modern models of care. The future hospital project is focused on strengthening local capacity, improving the patient and staff experience, and ensuring that services can meet the region’s needs for future generations.

BCHS will continue to share public updates at key milestones as the process advances. The plan remains for the Site Identification Task Force to bring a recommendation to the BCHS Board of Directors in spring 2026.

More information about the site that is selected will be available later in 2026 once the land is secured.