RCH Unveils GinETIC: A New Era for BC Emergency Care

NEW WESTMINSTER, BC – April 29, 2026 – Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation today unveiled a pivotal advancement in provincial emergency medicine: the Jack & Sylvia Gin Emergency & Trauma Imaging Centre, or GinETIC. This state-of-the-art suite, integrated directly within the hospital's new Emergency Department, marks a significant leap forward in the race against time that defines critical care, promising to accelerate diagnosis for tens of thousands of patients annually.

Located within the soon-to-open Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower, GinETIC brings essential CT scan, ultrasound, and X-ray capabilities just steps away from where the most critically ill and injured patients arrive. The unveiling celebrates a major milestone in the hospital's comprehensive redevelopment and highlights a powerful partnership between public healthcare and private philanthropy.

Redefining the 'Golden Hour' in Trauma Care

For Royal Columbian Hospital—one of British Columbia's two adult Level 1 trauma centres and a designated stroke centre for the Fraser Health region—every second counts. The facility serves as a critical lifeline for approximately one-third of all British Columbians and manages one of the province's busiest emergency departments, with nearly 88,000 visits each year. In this high-stakes environment, the time it takes to get a definitive diagnosis can be the difference between life and death.

Traditionally, emergency patients requiring advanced imaging would need to be transported from the emergency bay to a separate radiology department elsewhere in the hospital. This process consumes critical time, requires dedicated staff for transport, and introduces potential risks for unstable patients. GinETIC eliminates this bottleneck.

“As a radiologist, I see every day how essential imaging is in guiding urgent care decisions,” said Dr. Will Siu, a neuro-interventional radiologist at Royal Columbian Hospital. “With GinETIC, we now can perform CT scans, X-rays, and ultrasound steps away from where patients first arrive. That proximity allows us to diagnose faster, support more timely treatment decisions, and ultimately improve outcomes for patients when every minute matters.”

This integrated model is a leading-edge trend in modern hospital design, specifically aimed at optimizing the 'golden hour'—the critical period following a traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical treatment will prevent death. By embedding a comprehensive imaging suite directly into the new 75-bay Emergency Department, Royal Columbian is positioning itself at the forefront of patient flow management and emergency response, turning a long-held logistical challenge into a streamlined, life-saving advantage.

A Visionary Gift: Philanthropy's Role in Healthcare Innovation

The new centre is named in recognition of the vision and generosity of the Jack & Sylvia Gin Foundation, a family-run philanthropic organization based in Vancouver. Their foundational support was instrumental in bringing the project to fruition.

“In an emergency, speed of diagnosis is important, and this simple but essential solution of GinETIC can be crucial in allowing greater accessibility for medical practitioners and helping to saving lives,” stated Jack Gin. “This is a proud and significant partnership for our Foundation.”

The Gin Foundation, established in 2009 by entrepreneur and engineer Jack Gin and his wife Sylvia, has a long history of supporting healthcare, education, and community initiatives across British Columbia. Their past contributions include funding advanced gastroenterology equipment at Royal Columbian, supporting Burnaby Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even backing a similar emergency imaging initiative at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. This pattern of targeted giving underscores a deep commitment to enhancing community well-being through strategic investments in critical infrastructure.

The creation of GinETIC serves as a powerful testament to the impact of such partnerships. Major capital projects in public healthcare often rely on a blend of government funding and community contributions to move from concept to reality.

“This space will support patients and care teams in some of the most urgent situations,” said Jeff Norris, President & CEO of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to the Jack & Sylvia Gin Foundation for their generosity and vision. Their support, alongside the contributions of so many donors, is helping bring the Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower to life. Together, it stands as a powerful example of what is possible when a community comes together to invest in the future of healthcare.”

Building the Future: A Cornerstone of Hospital Transformation

While GinETIC is a landmark achievement on its own, it is also a cornerstone of a much larger vision: the $1.49 billion Royal Columbian Hospital Redevelopment Project. The imaging centre is housed within the new Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower, the centerpiece of the project's second phase.

This 10-story tower, which reached substantial completion in 2025 and is preparing to welcome its first patients, is set to fundamentally transform the hospital's capacity and capabilities. Beyond the expanded Emergency Department, the tower introduces an innovative interventional 'superfloor' that co-locates 17 operating rooms and eight interventional suites for cardiac, radiological, and surgical procedures, fostering rapid collaboration among specialists. It will also add hundreds of new beds, all in single-patient private rooms to enhance infection control and patient comfort.

Further enhancements include a larger maternity unit physically connected to a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with private family rooms, a new rooftop helipad for faster air ambulance transfers, and hundreds of new underground parking stalls. The entire project is designed to increase the hospital's capacity by approximately 50%, solidifying its role as the province's most comprehensive critical care site.

As the hospital prepares for the imminent opening of the new tower, teams are engaged in final planning, equipment installation, and readiness activities to ensure a seamless transition. The integration of GinETIC into this massive expansion ensures that from day one, the hospital's physical infrastructure will be aligned with its mission to provide the fastest and most effective care possible. As the doors to the Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower prepare to open, the launch of GinETIC marks a pivotal moment, promising a future where critical care in British Columbia is faster, smarter, and more integrated than ever before.