The Queen Charlotte/Haida Gwaii hospital site is taking its first major step towards its completion date for the fall of 2015.
A 44-metre crane has arrived and is already fully operational to begin heavy construction on the lavish $50 million project.
"We are pleased and delighted to be entering this phase of construction and look forward to continued progress to the completion of this new facility," said North West Regional Hospital District Chair Stoney Stoltenberg.
The release states that much of the excavation has been completed and the new crane will be used for lifting and placing concrete to reinforce the new hospital, as well as steel stud, drywall electrical materials and roof materials.
Health Minister Terry Lake welcomed news of the crane's arrival.
"The arrival and set up of the crane on the Queen Charlotte/Haida Gwaii Hospital project is another step forward on construction. This project will improve health care services for Haida Gwaii and it is great for local residents to see the progress as the crane helps build this new facility."
Funding for construction of the hospital comes from the Province of British Columbia as well as the North West Regional Hospital District, and according to Northern Health COO Penny Anguish, "will improve staff and physicians' work space and therefore patient care".
Bouygues Building Canada (BBC) is the design build leader while Perkins+Will in partnership with KRA (Kirsten Reite Architects) are the architectural consultants for the project.
Northern Health also states the dimensions of the hospital will be two storeys with 5,000 square meters in size while the existing hospital, built in 1953 is 1,670 square meters.