Project Summary

Client
Providence Health Care

Budget
$207,000,000

Services
Geotechnical Engineering

Market
Healthcare

Project Description

The St. Vincent’s Heather Long Term Care Home is a new 13-storey, 240-bed seniors’ care facility being developed by Providence Health Care, located on the former site of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Vancouver’s West Side.

The project aims to improve long-term care and community services in the Lower Mainland by offering modern, resident-centered living spaces, including twenty modest-sized households, each consisting of private rooms and shared living areas to foster a comforting environment for its residents.

The facility will also feature a culturally-safe and welcoming environment for Indigenous elders, a Catholic chapel, self-care services, and will offer its residents wrap-around health services providing comprehensive, continuous care.

Our Role

RAM’s Geotechnical team has been responsible for the following:

  • Conducting a geotechnical site investigation, including sonic drilling and Standard Penetration Testing (SPT) to characterize subsurface conditions; 
  • Performing downhole seismic testing to determine shear wave velocity of the soil profile;
  • Providing foundation, excavation, and seismic design parameters for the proposed long-term care facility with a two-level underground parkade; 
  • Carrying out field reviews during construction for temporary excavation support and off-site works, including for multi-use pathways and sewer replacement. 

Project Highlights

RAM completed a comprehensive geotechnical investigation to evaluate soil, groundwater, and seismic conditions to support the project’s design and construction. The study included drilling investigations, groundwater monitoring, and seismic testing to better understand the subsurface conditions and confirm the site’s suitability for development.

Results showed that dense natural soils underlying the site can safely support the building foundations, with standard excavation support and drainage measures recommended during construction. These findings provide critical guidance for the project’s structural design, and help ensure the long-term stability, reliability, and safety of the new care facility.