BELLEVILLE - Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of the Attorney General announced today that the request for proposals (RFP) stage has closed for building teams to submit bids to design, build, finance and maintain a new consolidated courthouse in Belleville, Ontario.
The new facility, to be located at Coleman and Bridge Streets, will improve access to courthouse services by consolidating the Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice, which are currently operating in four court locations, three in Belleville and one in Trenton.
The new courthouse will improve access to justice for the County of Hastings by increasing the number of available courtrooms, providing better security and improving access for people with disabilities.
The Quinte Consolidated Courthouse will be designed and built to meet the Canada Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver standards, incorporating environmentally sustainable construction practices and energy efficient design.
A request for qualifications issued in August 2009 short-listed the three teams with the development, design, construction, financial, and facilities management capacity to undertake a project of this size and complexity.
Over the next several months, Infrastructure Ontario will evaluate the bidders' proposals based on criteria set out in the RFP. The successful project team will be selected and announced in spring 2011; construction is expected to begin shortly after. The contract value will be announced publicly following financial close.
“Today's announcement demonstrates the McGuinty government's commitment to ensuring that Ontarians have access to resources and infrastructure when and where they need it most,” said the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure.
“The County of Hastings will soon have access to a first class facility that will ensure the delivery of modern, efficient justice service to the region for years to come,” said the Honourable Chris Bentley, Attorney General.
“The Quinte Consolidated Courthouse will be designed to meet the needs of our community for many years,” said Leona Dombrowsky, MPP for Prince-Edward Hastings. “Once under construction, this project will also help create jobs and spur economic development throughout our Region.”
Infrastructure Ontario is working with the Ministry of the Attorney General to develop the new courthouse. 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. As well, it is dedicated to providing the public sector and not-for-profit organizations with long-term financing to renew their infrastructure.
Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information.
Contacts:
Mandy Downes
Infrastructure Ontario
416-327-5246
Brendan Crawley
Ministry of the Attorney General
416-326-2210