Northern Health has awarded the construction contract for the new health centre in Masset to Grand Construction of Langley, the same company which is working on the Haida Heritage Centre in Skidegate.
Building work should get underway in a couple of weeks, said Masset mayor Barry Pages.
"We're all pretty excited, obviously," Mr. Pages said. "There definitely will be some kind of ground-breaking ceremony."
Grand Construction was the low bidder on the project, he said.
The $10-million facility, which will combine hospital services and community health programs, should open in the summer of 2007.
Northern Health, the North West Regional Hospital District and the villages of Masset, Old Massett and Port Clements are partners in the project. The regional hospital district is providing $3.8-million, while the three villages are borrowing $5.7-million to finance construction costs. Northern Health will lease the facility back from the three villages and pay $650,000 in capital costs.
"All of the stakeholders have worked closely together to develop plans for a health centre that will effectively meet the needs of our residents," Mr. Pages said. "We've had good cooperation, and I'm very happy to see us reach this milestone."