The Province and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority have released timelines on when emergency departments will be closed at Concordia and Seven Oaks hospitals, and when emergency departments will be expanded at St. Boniface and Health Sciences Centre.

The Grace Hospital opened a new emergency department earlier this month. Health minister Kelvin Goertzen said that was really the beginning of phase two of the health care system changes in Winnipeg.

"We're very pleased with how phase one has gone. We're excited about phase two and we're excited about the end result this is going to have for Manitoba patients," said Goertzen at today's timeline announcement.

Concordia Hospital's emergency department will close in June 2019, and Seven Oaks' will convert into urgent care in September 2019. Health Sciences Centre's ER will expand by January 2019 and St. Boniface's emergency department will have an expansion completed by spring 2019 and another expansion opening that summer.

"The scope of the changes that we are moving forward with in phase two has not changed from our initial plan. What has changed is some of the timing and sequencing of activities as we've learned more," said Lori Lamont, WRHA acting chief operating officer and vice-president, nursing and health professionals.

Ideas are still being considered for what to do with Concordia's emergency department space once it closes.

"It's important for us to look at what some of the needs are within our health system, and there are several ideas, so it's really looking at what fits. We've got a lot to work on right now, and so we will continue to look at what options we have there, but there (are) just a number of possibilities," said Lamont.

Phase two changes affect more than emergency departments. Intensive care services will be shifted out of Concordia and Seven Oaks to HSC and St. B, Concordia and Seven Oaks will shift capacity and focus to less serious community hospital care and transitional care services, and mental health services will be consolidated in HSC, St. B, and Victoria hospitals. There are more changes to come as well.