After a building condition assessment determined that Portage la Prairie’s existing acute care hospital was obsolete and unable to reinstate, the Government of Manitoba retained ft3, A49, and Huddy Healthcare Solutions to develop a new healthcare facility in the region. 

The new hospital’s functional program outlined the need for additional inpatient beds and expanded services, alongside relocating the hospital site to the vacated Agassiz Youth Centre, a park-like setting immediately southeast of the existing hospital.

Inspired by the site’s context, the subsequent Vision and Goals Workshop elicited keywords such as nature, connection, and daylight from a broad group of interest-holders.

A patient-centred approach informed the intent of the hospital’s interior, emphasizing flexible workspaces, efficient wayfinding, and culturally appropriate healthcare services (smudging and ceremonial space) for Indigenous People. 

Meanwhile, the healing journey inspired the conceptual design of the hospital’s landscape, underscoring the connection between humans and the natural environment that helps ease discomfort and aid recovery.

When the Portage Regional Health Centre (PRHC) officially opens, the new two-floor, 114 patient bed facility will operate as a healthcare services hub offering emergency, special, palliative, outpatient clinical, and cancer care; mental health, family birthing, inpatient rehabilitation medicine, therapy, and nutrition programs; general, day, and dialysis surgery; and diagnostic imaging and non-invasive cardiac testing. In addition to other services such as medical device reprocessing, health information, pharmacy, environmental, laundry, materials management and maintenance, and a new helipad designed to improve specialized emergency care.