SHA asks patients, visitors at St. Paul’s Hospital to arrive early due to construction

As construction continues at the entrance to Saskatoon’s St. Paul’s Hospital, patients and visitors may face delays when they arrive.

According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, patients and visitors at the hospital should plan to arrive early in order to navigate changes to parking and access points.

“Patients coming to St. Paul’s Hospital for an appointment should arrive at least 20 minutes prior to their appointment time to allow for parking and the walking distance from the entrance to registration,” the health authority said in a statement.

The hospital’s temporary entrance is located on Avenue R, the authority added. While the emergency department entrance remains open, it’s reserved for emergency use.

(Brent Bosker/650 CKOM)

The health authority thanked the public for remaining patient during the construction, and said it is working hard to minimize the disruptions.

The project will ultimately add 8,353 square feet of space to the hospital’s entryway, including a “fully accessible and expanded front entrance” to house registration, security, new washrooms and a gift shop. A healing centre will also be located in the entrance for ceremonial use by First Nations and Métis patients and visitors.

The renovation, which is expected to improve safety, accessibility and “patient flow” at the hospital, is expected to wrap up in the fall of 2025.

Crowding at the hospital has been a significant issue in recent months, with the fire department called in November after the number of patients in hallways created concerns around fire code violations.