Jessica Mottola wears a lot of different hats for her role on Niagara Health's Redevelopment Team, but a hard hat isn’t always one of them.
As the South Niagara Hospital Project moves closer to opening its doors and the Welland Hospital Project is beginning to pick up speed, one leader is at the helm of several essential workstreams — each one key to delivering a smooth and successful transition to the new hospital and Niagara Health’s transition to a three-site model.
Jessica Mottola joined Niagara Health (NH) in 2012 as a project coordinator, putting her engineering degree to work. She looked after numerous renovation projects throughout the hospital sites and supported administration of the facilities management contract for the Marotta Family Hospital. She joined the Redevelopment Team in 2020 as a project manager, initially looking after the facilities management scope of the project, however her responsibilities quickly grew. Today, as a director, she oversees and manages many key areas in relation to South Niagara Hospital project.
“I was born and raised in Niagara, so this project is really special to me. I’ve been given the chance to bring my experience to this role, but also learn from it and grow,” says Mottola. “Being part of a project of this scale is incredibly rewarding, and I feel so fortunate to contribute to something that will have such a lasting impact on our community.”
Automated Transport Systems (ATS)
Mottola is leading the planning, design, installation and general management efforts for the incorporation of automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots, collectively called an Automated Transport System (ATS), into the South Niagara Project. The ATS will be used to transport linens, meals, waste, supplies, equipment and medication within South Niagara Hospital.
Facilities Management
The South Niagara Hospital is being delivered using a Design, Build, Finance and Maintain (DBFM) model (the same model used for Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines), meaning the team at EllisDon Infrastructure Healthcare (EDIH) is not only designing and building the hospital, but will also be maintaining the facility for a 30-year service period following the completion of construction. This involves EDIH undertaking building maintenance, seasonal landscaping, snow removal, implementing lifecycle replacements on major building components and energy management, to name a few responsibilities.
One of the key benefits of this model is that maintenance and long-term stability are taken into consideration from the start of the design process, leading to smarter, more efficient decisions. At the end of the 30-year service period, the building will be turned back to Niagara Health in good operating condition, helping to ensure continued longer-term physical quality and value.
Mottola is responsible for overseeing that EDIH fulfills its facilities management-related obligations, and that they are implemented in a complete and timely manner. This ensures a smooth transition once the construction is completed and the service period commences.
Third Party Contracts and Retail Planning
Another key area of Mottola’s role involves third-party contracts and retail planning. Retail planning is a big part of third-party contracts. Early in the project, several reports were developed to identify what types of retail services would best support patients, visitors and staff at the new hospital. The findings and recommendations from these reports had to be closely integrated with the hospital’s design to ensure that appropriate spaces were built.
The South Niagara Hospital will feature spaces such as a food court, pharmacy, café and gift shop. The hospital will also offer improved 24-hour vending options — a priority identified through staff and public feedback. Survey results emphasized the importance of round-the-clock access to healthier food, highlighting the need for modern vending solutions that offer fresh, convenient and nutritious choices.
“Our understanding is that this is one of the most complex hospital moves ever in the province, so it requires a lot of early planning and coordination to determine the best approach for seamless execution."
Transition and Move
Mottola is also overseeing and managing the complex transition and move to the South Niagara Hospital, as well as decanting the existing sites after the moves are completed - work which has already begun. Her focus is planning and overseeing the implementation of the consolidation of the three existing sites into the new South Niagara Hospital and Welland Hospital. This process requires meticulous planning and close coordination with the ongoing construction and operational readiness work, as well as ongoing services at the existing sites.
“Our understanding is that this is one of the most complex hospital moves ever in the province, so it requires a lot of early planning and coordination to determine the best approach for seamless execution,” Mottola explains. “This is a part of the project that I am really excited about, because I’ve always been good at taking something big and complicated, like our move and transition, and breaking it down in a way that can be more easily managed.”
Once the transition to the South Niagara Hospital is complete, the next significant step in her portfolio will be overseeing and managing the decanting of the sites that are being vacated. While the actual decanting process will begin immediately after the moves, and is expected to take about six months, the planning and organizational tasks will begin much earlier.
Decanting involves close coordination with the organizations taking over each of the vacated sites to align with the agreed-to transfer conditions and requirements. Mottola will also work closely with various groups in Niagara Health, such as environmental services, facilities management, security teams and others to ensure that the existing sites are fully vacated and are handed over appropriately. The process includes proper handling of records, proper decontamination and the safe removal of any hazardous substances. It also involves moving old artifacts and ensuring items of historical or cultural importance are relocated and preserved.
Welland Renovations
In addition to her work on the South Niagara Hospital, Mottola is also leading the efforts associated with the Welland Hospital Project, which includes renovation of the current site in time for the opening of the South Niagara Hospital in 2028, as well as commencement of the planning for an eventual redevelopment in the future.
