Preparations for the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia (UHNBC) Acute Care Tower continue to move forward as the Northern Interior Health Unit (NIHU) and the John G. McKenzie Family Practice Centre (JGM) relocate to a new shared location at Parkwood Mall. The move will create the Prince George Community Health Centre, bringing community-based services together under one roof while enabling site preparation work for the new acute care tower.
“Bringing community health services together in one location will make it easier for people and families in Prince George to access the care they need, while helping care teams work more closely together,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Health. “This move is also an important step toward the new UHNBC Acute Care Tower, strengthening health care services in the North and helping more people access specialized care closer to home.”
The new Prince George Community Health Centre will improve coordination between care teams and make it easier for people to access community health services. Located close to UHNBC, the new site will support continuity of care while helping prepare for future growth and expanded services across Northern British Columbia.
“The opening of the Prince George Community Health Centre reflects Northern Health’s commitment to providing coordinated, accessible, patient-centred care,” said Colleen Nyce, Board Chair of Northern Health. “Bringing these services together strengthens collaboration among care providers, improves the patient experience, and supports the broader vision for expanded health care services through the development of the UHNBC Acute Care Tower.”
The relocation will take place from Friday, August 28, 2026, at 12 pm to Monday, August 31, 2026, at 12 pm. Both NIHU and JGM will be closed during the move and will reopen at the new Prince George Community Health Centre at noon on Monday, August 31.
Following the relocation, the existing NIHU building will be deconstructed to prepare the UHNBC campus for construction of the acute care tower.
“The relocation of the Northern Interior Health Unit is another tangible milestone toward construction of the UHNBC Acute Care Tower, the largest health care infrastructure investment in Northern BC’s history and a project that will fundamentally improve access to specialized health care for people across the North,” said Kyle Sampson, Chair of the Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District. “This move maintains access to important community health services while preparing the campus for the next phase of the acute care tower.”
Once complete, this $1.579 billion project will significantly increase capacity for cardiac, mental health and substance use, and surgical services, helping more people across Northern British Columbia access specialized care closer to home.
“The relocation to the Prince George Community Health Centre is an important milestone in preparing for the next phase of the UHNBC Acute Care Tower Project,” said Aimee Cassie, CEO of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. “The new tower will help expand access to specialized services, including cardiac care, allowing more people in Northern British Columbia to receive the care they need closer to home. We are excited to see continued progress on a project that will benefit patients and families across the North for generations to come.”