![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/indicator-big.gif\")
<\/p>\nThe NDP accused the Sask. Party of lying when it promised to cover the cost of the hospital. The initial estimate, prior to the pandemic, was between $300 million and $500 million. In February 2024, the construction contract was listed at $898 million.<\/p>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\u201cAs\u00a0this\u00a0project\u00a0balloons\u00a0way over budget, the government expected Prince Albert\u00a0to\u00a0pay $200 million\u00a0for\u00a0the hospital. Then, Scott Moe promised he would cover it. Now Moe is back expecting the city to find $30 million?\u201d\u00a0said Jordan McPhail, Saskatchewan NDP Northern Affairs Shadow\u00a0Minister\u00a0in a news release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe incompetencies of this premier and health minister\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0be the burden of the municipal budget of Prince Albert to bear.\u201d<\/p>\n
The provincial government responded in quick succession, saying the funding arrangement was clearly outlined when the hospital renewal and expansion project was announced on March 6, 2020.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is impossible to take the NDP seriously when they are clearly unfamiliar with the funding arrangements for building health-care facilities in our province. When they had the opportunity to serve as government, the NDP were more focused on closing hospitals across the province, including the Holy Family Hospital in Prince Albert. In the exceedingly rare cases when the NDP did promise to build a health-care facility, they made the local community commit to pay for 35 per cent of the capital cost of the facility plus the furniture, fixtures and equipment. It was our government, in 2011, that lowered the community share to 20 per cent,\u201d read a statement from the Government of Saskatchewan.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Mayor Powalinsky said discussions remain ongoing with the city, other users of the hospital, and the SHA to determine a proportionate per capita allocation for the costs to equip the new acute care tower.<\/p>\n \u201cI basically just wanted to give taxpayers a heads up that we\u2019ve got a lot of really important priorities to work on,\u201d he said. \u201cI know we\u2019ve got a new cultural event centre that we\u2019re driving to the finish line, wastewater treatment, and now the ask from the health authority for furniture and equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n He added there are still a lot of questions as to what exactly the taxpayers in Prince Albert are expected to be funding.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s waiting room chairs, somehow that\u2019s not going to be as relevant or meaningful as saying that we\u2019re purchasing dialysis units or we\u2019re looking at purchasing NICU equipment. And I\u2019m not being shallow in that regard. I\u2019m just saying I think taxpayers need to know that and need to understand it. So, at this point, we\u2019ve asked for the information and they\u2019re working on giving us some answers to several questions.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether or not the final price tag for the City of Prince Albert stays at $30 million remains to be seen, but there is some money set aside in city coffers. In 2024, city council decided any permits and development levies<\/a> that came from the Victoria Hospital expansion would be used to cover costs for equipment and furniture. \u00a0Powalinsky said there is currently about $6 million available.<\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n