Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) opens as the first hospital in the Colony of British Columbia
Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) is the oldest hospital in British Columbia and one of the busiest in the Fraser Health Authority. It is located in New Westminster overlooking the Fraser River and is the only hospital in the Lower Mainland that is immediately adjacent to a Skytrain station (Sapperton).
In 2020 inpatient bed capacity increased to 490 with the opening of the Mental Health Substance Use Wellness Centre (MHSUWC). In 2017 inpatient bed capacity was reported as 447, and the site was served by 3326 employees.The hospital campus is L shaped fronting five streets: East Columbia Street, Sherbrooke Street, Allen Street, Keary Street, and Brunette Avenue. The total square footage of the site is 607,859.