Construction on the new north-end hospital is running behind schedule, and the facility probably won't be finished until early next year, says Peter Kallos, Northern Health's director of development services. Mr. Kallos said the contractor, Grand Construction, is doing a good job but encountered delivery and ferry schedule problems this summer. These kind of problems are not unusual on the islands, he said. The building, located between the villages of Old Massett and Masset, was originally scheduled to be completed this month. Once construction is finished, it will take a few months to move medical equipment and furnishings into the new health centre, Mr. Kallos said. The delay will mean a few increased costs in areas like insurance, he said, but this won't be much in the context of the entire budget. The contractor is being paid a fixed cost to complete construction, he said, so it doesn't matter if it ends up taking a bit longer to finish the building. The new hospital is a joint project between the villages of Old Massett, Masset and Port Clements.