New Brunswick’s biggest hospital will be getting its biggest makeover in decades.

Premier Brian Gallant stopped by the Saint John Regional Hospital Monday morning to announce a $90-million upgrade for the facility.

The renovations will include a new intensive care unit and a new surgical space.

“We believe investing the $90 million over the next five years into the ICU, oncology and surgical units is not only going to help us ensure that the Saint John Regional Hospital provides good care to the people of the southwest and across the province, it also ensures we increase efficiencies within the delivery of care,” said Gallant.

Dr. John Dornan says the outdated intensive care unit creates problems elsewhere in the hospital.

"It will have the standards that the hospital associations tell us we need in terms of space, equipment, safety,” Dr. Dornan said. "Right now, our ICU is bursting at the seams. We have to cancel cardiac surgeries and other surgeries because we simply don't have ICU space. That won't happen in the future."

The funding allows planning and engineering for the project to begin almost immediately. Gallant says he was sold on the project by the promise of saving money.

"It's also going to ensure that we increase efficiencies within the delivery of care, so we're very excited about this investment," Gallant said.

The funding allows the makeover to begin almost immediately with planning, engineering and design work.

The plan includes the floor spacing in oncology unit to be doubled. That unit is far busier that it was just a decade ago and now treats 100 patients every day who come from all over the province.

“The announcement will allow us to have more rooms to have patients in private settings and allow all those people who provide care to be with them for an appropriate time," said Dr. Margot Burnell, an oncologist at the hospital.

The plan includes expanding and upgrading surgical facilities, as well.

The renovations are expected to take five years to complete.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mike Cameron.