The Province is moving ahead with planning for a new hospital on Haida Gwaii as part of Budget 2012.It's anticipated the detailed planning process will start this spring. The proposed centre includes acute and residential-care beds.Anticipated cost of the new hospital is up to $50 million and will be refined once the final business plan has been approved, the tendering process complete and a contract awarded. Funding for the project will be cost-shared by the Province and North West Regional Hospital District.The existing Queen Charlotte Islands General Hospital was built in 1950. It is an outdated facility for current health services, and a replacement facility is needed."We are committed to building patient care across the province including Haida Gwaii. A new hospital will allow local health professionals to continue to provide excellent care for Haida Gwaii patients and families," said Minister of Health, Michael de Jong .Minister of Aboriginal Relations Mary Polak, who represented the province, said"I'm honoured to be in Haida Gwaii to announce that our government is moving forward with planning for a new hospital. This facility will include residential care beds as well as space for out-patient care such as public-health services like mental-health care as part of a new hospital. This will help reduce the need to leave the island for specialized care."Queen Charlotte mayor Carol Kulesha had trouble controlling her smile. She said"this new hospital has been a long time coming, and it took all of us working together to make it happen. I'd like to thank those who helped make this facility a reality: the communities of Haida Gwaii, the regional hospital district, the regional district, Northern Health, the Ministry of Health, the health minister and the Premier - who heard our voices. On behalf of our council, a big thank you. We are very pleased and excited that our new hospital is moving forward."Serious planning is getting underway this spring. No one would predict when construction of the $50-million dollar facility will begin, but a reasonable guess would be next year.