NEXT STEP FORWARD FOR LONDON HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE AND ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH CARE, LONDON PROJECTS

News Release
Communiqué

For Immediate Release
August 31 , 2007

Short-listed construction teams invited to bid

LONDON – The London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care, London construction projects have reached another key milestone with the release of a joint request for proposals (RFP) to build and finance the projects to redevelop and consolidate areas of the hospitals.

“Our government is making much-needed improvements to Ontario’s infrastructure at an unprecedented rate,” said David Caplan, Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. “These projects are part of the McGuinty government’s $30-billion plus infrastructure investment plan to modernize public infrastructure while ensuring value for taxpayer dollars.”

“These projects are an essential part of the McGuinty government’s plan to modernize hospitals, reduce wait times and upgrade medical equipment in the local community and across the province,” commented George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and MPP for London West Christopher Bentley joined Cliff Nordal, president and CEO of London Health Sciences Centre and president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, hospital staff, community members and local officials to announce the release of the RFP during a sign unveiling event on the grounds of London Health Sciences Centre’s Victoria Hospital.

“The LHSC and St. Joe’s expansion has been talked about for decades – but our government has moved it forward,” said Minister Bentley. “We are committed to providing the resources and infrastructure to meet our community’s health care needs.”

“This is a huge step in advancing the vision set out by four great women who began the restructuring - Kelly Butt, Anne Hubbell, Sylvia Davis and Trish Fulton,” said Deb Matthews, MPP for London North Centre. “This investment is a tribute to all of the people who worked hard to make our hospital system in here London a leader in the medical field.”

At St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, the project represents Phase 2 of St. Joseph’s Health Care’s ambulatory care renovations. Renovations will provide space for:

Endoscopy;
City-wide ophthalmology services (which will be transferring from London Health Sciences Centre);
Ear, nose and throat;
Ambulatory gynecology; and
Diabetes/endocrinology.

At London Health Sciences Centre, the project involves the completion of approximately 465,000 square feet of shelled-in space in the North tower at Victoria Hospital that will allow for new, state-of-the-art facilities, as well as approximately 100,000 square feet of renovations to the existing facilities. The finished space will accommodate:

a new clinic, inpatient and administrative areas for paediatric care;
women’s care, including a new birthing centre (which will be transferring from St. Joseph’s Hospital);
child, adolescent and adult inpatient and outpatient mental health care;
adult medical/surgical inpatient care; and
specialized clinical laboratories.

Additional space will also be provided for:

diagnostic radiology and nuclear imaging services;
a 350-seat auditorium with associated teaching facilities; and
support space, including a cafeteria.

The following building teams were short-listed through a request for qualifications (RFQ) issued in November 2006 and have been invited to bid on the project:

Bondfield Construction Company Limited
Carillion Canada Inc.
EllisDon Corporation
PCL Constructors Canada Inc.

These teams have the construction, operational, and financial capacity required to undertake a project of this size and complexity. Once submissions to the RFP are received and reviewed, a winning team will be selected in early 2008, with construction scheduled to begin shortly thereafter.

“We are excited to move forward with these redevelopment projects,” said Cliff Nordal, President and CEO of London Health Sciences Centre and President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health Care, London. “This announcement brings us closer to providing our patients with the best facilities that we can offer, along with the exceptional care they already receive.”

Infrastructure Ontario is working with London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care, London to redevelop the hospitals, which will remain public hospitals. Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects – ensuring they are built on time and on budget.

These projects are guided by principles outlined in the Province’s Building a Better Tomorrow framework, which ensures public ownership of core assets such as hospitals, schools, and water and wastewater facilities. The London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care, London projects are two of many hospitals being upgraded and modernized under ReNew Ontario, the government’s five-year, $30-billion plus public infrastructure investment plan.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information.

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Backgrounder

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Contacts:

Amy Tang

Minister’s Office

Public Infrastructure Renewal

416-325-4048

Lorne Burger

Infrastructure Ontario

416-325-2888