TORONTO - On behalf of Public Health Ontario, Infrastructure Ontario has released a request for qualifications to build Public Health Ontario's new Toronto public health laboratory at MaRS Centre Phase 2.

The facility will be located within the top four floors of the new MaRS Centre tower in heart of Toronto's Discovery District. The new laboratory replaces an existing facility in the west end of Toronto. 

Highlights of the project include:

  • Flexible laboratory space to meet current and emerging clinical and public health needs and can adapt to new testing technologies, workload surges, changing laboratory functions and research activities.
  • A plan to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Silver for Commercial Interiors certification through low energy consumption, reduced greenhouse emissions and healthy indoor work environments.

Public Health Ontario's mandate is to provide expert scientific advice and support in the prevention and control of diseases and promotion of health. Its Toronto public health laboratory is the central infectious disease testing and reference laboratory for Ontario and is projected to conduct 2.8 million tests annually when it opens in 2014. The facility will be designed, constructed, commissioned and certified in accordance with Public Health Agency of Canada's Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines.  The guidelines provide information about biosafety and biocontainment principles and practices, including laboratory design and practices, handling of infectious substances and decontamination.

The request for qualifications, available at www.merx.com, is the first step in the procurement process to select a team to build the project. Submissions will be reviewed to pre-qualify project teams with the construction experience and qualified personnel to deliver a project of this size and complexity.  Pre-qualified teams will then be invited to respond to a request for proposals, which is expected to be released later this year.

Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to delivering some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects, on time and on budget.  It also manages one of the largest real estate portfolios in Canada, offers real estate services, such as asset management and property and land management, and provides the public sector and not-for-profit organizations with long-term financing to renew public infrastructure. For more information, visit www.infrastructureontario.ca.

Public Health Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of all Ontarians and reducing inequities in health. As a hub organization, it links public health practitioners, front-line health workers and researchers to the best scientific intelligence and knowledge from around the world. For more information, please visit Public Health Ontario's website at www.oahpp.ca  

Quote: 

“The construction of our new Toronto laboratory is a milestone in the renewal of Ontario's public health laboratory infrastructure. It will allow Public Health Ontario to remain at the forefront of infectious disease testing, detection and control, providing essential services to Ontarians and the health care system and responding to emerging public health threats. Its location at MaRS strengthens our links to academic, healthcare and private sector partners, as well as Public Health Ontario scientists and other services. We thank the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for its ongoing commitment to public health renewal and all of our partners in this exciting venture.” 
- Dr. Vivek Goel, President and CEO, Public Health Ontario  

Contacts: 

Jennifer Asals 
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-326-9357 

Nicole Helsberg 
Public Health Ontario 
647-260-7247