David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and John Gerretsen, MPP for Kingston and the Islands joined hospital officials, staff, community members and health care partners today to celebrate Kingston General Hospital's redevelopment project.
The Kingston General Hospital project includes an addition of 170,000 square feet and renovations to 143,000 square feet of the existing facility.
The redevelopment project will create a more family oriented environment and improve patients' access to cancer care and kidney dialysis. As a result of this project, the hospital will have more beds and space. Services will be expanded and upgraded in Intensive Care, the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Central Processing Services - a key surgical support - pediatrics and inpatient acute mental health.
The building team, led by PCL Constructors Canada Inc., began work in July and the project is expected to be completed in spring 2012. At the peak of construction, there will be approximately 75 workers on site daily. Hundreds of thousands of dollars will be spent in the local community for construction and related supplies.
“Our government is undertaking Ontario's largest hospital reform initiative in decades,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “This project is more than just increasing capacity and building better facilities ultimately, this project is about improving the quality of people's lives and providing Kingston area families with enhanced care.”
“This is a significant project that will serve the needs of Kingston and the surrounding area's population and also generate jobs,” said John Gerretsen, MPP for Kingston and the Islands. “We can be assured that residents in south-eastern Ontario will have continued access to high quality health care for many years to come.”
“It's exciting to see the renewal of another Ontario hospital as we work community by community to lower wait times and improve access to quality care,” said David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “Once complete, area residents will be able to get the care they need, when they need it, close to home.”
“This is an extremely exciting day for our staff and Kingston residents and it marks a significant stride in our commitment to provide high quality health care. All of our behind the scenes work and preparation with staff and the province will take shape and transform our hospital into a modern facility,” said Bill Richard, Chair of the Kingston General Hospital Board of Directors.
Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with Kingston General Hospital to redevelop the facility, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable. 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.
Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information.
Contacts:
Amy Tang
Minister's Office
Energy and Infrastructure
416-327-6747
Terence Foran
Infrastructure Ontario
416 325-2939
Kim Kattouw
Kingston General Hospital
613-549-6666, Ext. 4687
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