CONSTRUCTION OF WINDSOR REGIONAL HOSPITAL ADDITION PROCEEDS ON TIME AND ON
BUDGET

WINDSOR, ON, Oct 8 /CNW/ - The Honourable Sandra Pupatello, MPP for Windsor West and Minister of Economic Development and Trade, today joined Windsor Regional Hospital officials for a construction update and tour of the hospital's new longer-term mental health building.

Construction of the Windsor Regional Hospital addition began in June 2009 and is on track to open its doors to patients in spring 2012. Bondfield Construction is building the new facility.

Highlights of the Windsor Regional Hospital redevelopment project include:

• new construction of the longer-term mental health building on the Western Campus that will be more than 75,000-square-feet;
• an increase in overall capacity with space for up to 65 longer-term mental health beds, 60 rehabilitation beds and 196 complex continuing care beds;
• renovations to existing buildings, including exterior repairs, upgrades to the elevator that services the building and other existing infrastructure; and
• renovations to over 35,000 square feet of space in the Tower Building, which houses in-patient rehabilitation services.

Construction of the new longer-term mental health building is now 50 per cent complete and is proceeding on time and on budget. Construction crews will complete the building's exterior cladding in the fall of this year and work will continue on mechanical and electrical installations and interior finishes during the coming months. Interior and exterior renovations to the hospital's Tower Building will begin early in 2011.

Currently, approximately 125 workers are on site daily. Since construction began, the percentage of the construction workforce comprised of local labour has averaged above 80 per cent.

The new longer-term mental health building will reduce patient wait times and enhance access to services for rehabilitation and longer-term mental health programs.

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with Windsor Regional Hospital to redevelop the facility, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable. Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to delivering 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.

Quotes:

"I'm pleased to see the progress made on the Windsor Regional Hospital project. This is an important project for our community in terms of the stimulus it is providing to the local economy and the vital role the new facility will play in providing state-of-the-art health care and treatment to Windsor residents."

—     Sandra Pupatello, MPP for Windsor West

"To date, the Western Campus Redevelopment Project has delivered as promised and has been a huge success for our local economy by creating construction jobs and investment in local suppliers. In the near future, the project promises to create more permanent health care jobs as well as deliver more hospital beds for our community. The partnership between Bondfield Construction, Infrastructure Ontario, the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care and the hospital has been cohesive and productive."

—     David Musyj, President and CEO, Windsor Regional Hospital

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For further information:

Ron Foster		Tom Boreskie
Windsor Regional Hospital		Infrastructure Ontario
[phone]		[phone]