Old Costco in St. John's to be converted into new ambulatory care clinics

Newfoundland and Labrador's government will open a new ambulatory care hub inside the former Costco building on Stavanger Drive. Costco shut down operations there in 2019. (Danny Arsenault/CBC)

Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Health said Thursday that a new ambulatory care hub in St. John's will be built inside the old Costco building on Stavanger Drive.

The government said in a statement that the hub, which will allow walk-in patients to obtain a variety of health services, will cut down on visits to acute care facilities and improve access to services for residents.

The Costco building hasn't been used since 2019, when the company opened a larger warehouse in the Galway neighbourhood.

A contract of $4.1 million annually has been awarded to the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Alliance — a not-for-profit social enterprise — for a 20-year lease.

According to a news release issued Thursday, the department says the hub will improve access to outpatient services where overnight hospitalization isn't required.

Services include physiotherapy, surgery clinics, X-rays and ultrasounds.

The hub will also decrease traffic around acute care sites, the release said, allowing with allowing N.L. Health Services to expand on critical acute inpatient services like emergencies, surgeries and cardiology and cut down on wait times because of the addition of more clinic spaces.

The release doesn't say when the hub is expected to open.

CBC News has contacted the Department of Health and N.L. Health Services for comment.

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