The provincial government says it put $4.3 million towards renovations to the Sackville Memorial Hospital to make way for a new nursing education program on the premises.
Department of Health spokesperson Sean Hatchard says via email that the department provided “approximately $4.3 million in capital funding to the Horizon Health Network for the renovation of the space being used for Beal University Canada.”
Horizon Health Network has declined to share details of how the $4.3 million was spent, directing CHMA to file a formal request under the province’s Right to Information Act instead.
Horizon also refuses to share basic information about the lease with Beal University Canada, including the length of the term and annual cost. “Horizon cannot disclose the details of the lease agreement with Beal University Canada as it is a binding and confidential agreement,” wrote Blaine Lynch, Horizon’s Regional Director of Facilities, in response to a CHMA enquiry.
The nearly 10,000 square feet now used by Beal Canada is located in the former Queen’s Unit of the hospital, and the move did displace some Horizon health services. Diabetic education and respiratory therapy services were moved out of the hospital and into leased spaces in the privately-owned Tantramar Community Health Centre, across the parking lot from the hospital. Other services were relocated within the hospital itself, which Horizon has acknowledged involved some internal renovations. In 2023, Horizon also expanded its Sackville hospital parking lot to add 88 more spaces, in part to accommodate the arrival of the new nursing program.
The new nursing campus opened in October of last year, with a formal launch on January 27, 2025.
About 100 Beal students study online and in person during the 30-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Some of the first cohort, who began their studies online with Beal University of Maine, are due to graduate in December.
