TORONTO - Infrastructure Ontario and Windsor Regional Hospital announced today that the hospital has signed a fixed-price contract with Bondfield Construction, to build and finance the hospital redevelopment project. Today's announcement also signifies that all contractual steps have been completed and construction can begin immediately. 

The Windsor Regional Hospital underwent an open, fair and competitive procurement process and Bondfield Construction submitted the proposal which delivers the best value for Ontario taxpayers. 

At the peak of construction, which will be completed in spring 2012, there will be approximately 220 workers on site daily. Bondfield Construction expects to hire 80 per cent of its workers from the local Windsor community, including management staff, operating engineers, labourers, carpenters, bricklayers, painters and other skilled trades. This will equate to approximately 500,000 hours of local labour over the lifespan of the Windsor Regional Hospital redevelopment project.  

In addition to its other projects, Bondfield Construction is currently completing the expansion and renovation of two other Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) hospital projects, including Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga and Runnymede Healthcare Centre in Toronto. On these projects, approximately 90 per cent of the workers have been hired from the local community or region.

The building team, led by Bondfield Construction and advised by National Bank Financial, includes financing arranged by Bank of Montreal acting as agent, National Bank of Canada, Laurentian Bank and Toronto Dominion Bank.

The contract commits Bondfield Construction to build and finance the Windsor Regional Hospital redevelopment project for $91.6 million, which will be paid by the hospital when construction is completed. The contract guarantees a fixed price and a fixed delivery date for the redevelopment of the hospital. The provincial government will fund 90 per cent of eligible construction costs.  The specialized mental health hospital will be funded 100 per cent by the government.

The Windsor Regional Hospital project will increase the hospital's capacity to meet the needs of a growing population, reduce patient wait times and enhance access to services for rehabilitation and specialized mental health programs. Windsor Regional Hospital will continue to operate and maintain the facility.

Highlights of the Windsor Regional Hospital capital redevelopment project include: 

  • new construction to provide a specialized mental health hospital that will be more than 75,000 square feet on the Western Campus 
  • increase in overall capacity, making room for up to 65 specialized mental health beds and up to 60 rehabilitation beds
  • renovations to more than 35,000 square feet of space in the Tower Building, which houses in-patient rehabilitation services 

Infrastructure Ontario will post a copy of the Value for Money (VFM) report in the coming months and the project agreement will be posted online at www.infrastructureontario.ca in the coming weeks. 

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will work with the Windsor Regional Hospital to build the new hospital, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable.  

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca  for more information.

Contacts:

Amy Tang     Mandy Downes
Minister's Office    Infrastructure Ontario
Energy and Infrastructure   416-327-5246
416-327-6747

Ron Foster
Windsor Regional Hospital
(519) 254-5577 ext. 52003

Disponible en français

Quotes

George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure
“With significant investments in health care, we now have more than 100 new and existing hospitals in various stages of expansion and upgrade across Ontario.  The Windsor Regional Hospital project will enhance the quality of life and quality of care for families across the Windsor region.”

David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care 
“The Windsor Regional Hospital project is an essential part of our government's commitment to renew hospitals. It will allow the hospital to provide a greater range of services, help lower wait times and improve access to care for the people in Windsor.”  

David Musyj, President and CEO, Windsor Regional Hospital
“Today's announcement would not have been possible without the hard work of our staff and physicians, the commitment of the province, and the support of our community. This agreement ensures that the hospital will be built to the highest standards in the agreed timeframe for a fixed price.”

Sandra Pupatello, Minister of International Trade and Investment and MPP for Windsor West
“This project is not only significant for what it will do for Windsor Regional Hospital and health care in our community, but also for the jobs it will create and the economic boost it will bring to our entire region. The final contract is signed demonstrating that the McGuinty Government has delivered on its commitment to our community”

Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance and MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh
“Construction start is welcomed news for the many Windsorites who will work on the redevelopment project at Windsor Regional Hospital over the next three years.  The increased capacity of the Hospital will improve quality of care and better serve the needs of our community.”

Bruce Crozier, MPP for Essex
“A tremendous milestone was reached today - a milestone which paves the way for improved access to health care.”

Jim Lyons, Executive Director, Windsor Construction Association
“The Windsor Regional Hospital project is going to provide a lot of work for our construction community. We are extremely eager to get started as soon as possible.”