Premier Scott Moe will announce a new hospital for Prince Albert, Sask., in the city on Friday.

Minister of Health Jim Reiter confirmed the news to reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

"The issue there is just simply the population has outgrown the hospital. We need a lot more beds up there," Reiter said.

Reiter said he did not want "pre-empt" Friday's announcement and shared few details with the media, but said the hospital is unique because of who it serves.

"It's P.A and area. It is for the entire north — it is a significant population served there."

It is not clear if the government is planning to tear down the city's existing Victoria Hospital and replace it, renovate it, or build a second hospital.

Victoria Hospital was built in 1969. In 1997, the province closed Prince Albert's Holy Family Hospital.

Reiter did not say where the new hospital might be located, saying that answer will come on Friday.

The government's initial estimates say the cost of the project will be "in excess" of $200 million.

The 2019 provincial budget included $2.5 million for pre-construction studies for Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert and a new hospital in Weyburn.

Reiter said it was too early to say if the project will be a traditional build or use a public-private partnership, or P3, model. He said those decisions are in the "preliminary stages."

Opposition Leader Ryan Meili said under an NDP government, the new hospital would be built by a Saskatchewan company and would not use a P3 model.

"It's about time we get to a hospital being built," he said.

"New Democrats would build a new hospital in Prince Albert. We know that it is needed."