SUDBURY -- As the year comes to an end, staff at Health Sciences North are reflecting on the past 12 months. President and CEO Dominic Giroux said 2020 has been a "marathon," and he's expecting it to continue next year. But the hospital is ready.

“I can't say enough how proud I am of our frontline staff, our leaders, our medical staff, our learners and our volunteers,” Giroux said.

With a COVID-19 vaccine on its way to the north at some point, Giroux told CTV News that hospital staff has been in talks with provincial and federal authorities, and there is a good chance the vaccine will be delivered to and distributed at HSN.

“HSN is one of the hospitals that has been approached to be a potential delivery site,” said Giroux.

“We are having daily conversations with these other hospitals across the province, to support the efforts of Public Health Sudbury and Districts Pfizer vaccine.”

Due to the pandemic, Sudbury’s hospital had to cancel many surgeries in the fall. Now, Giroux said the surgical waitlist isn’t near as long.

“Pre-COVID, our surgical waitlist was about 3,500 cases, and it peaked at 4,300 in September," he said. “We’re at about 3,900 cases on our surgical waitlist. We’ve added surgical appointments seven days a week since November, and we will continue to do so in the New Year.”

Giroux said it hasn’t been an easy year for HSN staff, but that he’s feeling optimistic heading into 2021.

“We will obviously be supporting the vaccine distribution, especially for the Pfizer vaccine working with Public Health Sudbury & Districts,” he said.

“We will have our second MRI that will become operational, which was a big priority in our strategic plan. The construction of the Labelle and innovation learning centre will also be completed in the New Year to support our academic admission here at HSN.”

An additional 40 beds will be added in 2021, as well, located at the Daffodil Lodge.