NEW HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL PROJECT ATTRACTS INDUSTRY INTEREST

TORONTO, Sept. 20 /CNW/ - Infrastructure Ontario and Humber River Regional Hospital announced today the three companies short-listed to submit proposals to design, build, finance and maintain its new acute care hospital.

Based on a request for qualifications process that began in May 2010 and following evaluations, three top ranking companies were short-listed and will be invited to respond to a request for proposals, expected to be issued in October 2010. The short-listed companies are:

• Future Health Consortium consisting of Bilfinger Berger Project Investments, SNC Lavalin Capital, Walsh Construction Canada, SNC Lavalin Construction Ontario, Bondfield Construction, Honeywell, SNC Lavalin Operations and Maintenance and Cannon Design.
  
  
• Plenary Health Care Partnerships consisting of Plenary Group/HCP Canada, PCL Constructors Canada, HDR Inc., C.F. Møller Architects, Johnson Controls, Hewlett-Packard, Plan Group, Modern Niagara, Smith+Andersen, Halsall Associates and RBC Capital Markets
  
  
• Hospital Infrastructure Partnerships consisting of Fengate Capital Management Ltd., Carillion Canada Inc., EllisDon Corporation, Stantec Architecture Ltd., Scotia Capital, H. H. Angus & Associates Ltd., Crossey Engineering Ltd., Stephenson Engineering Ltd., Read Jones Christofferson, Geo. A. Kelson Company Ltd. and Univex Group of Companies.

Infrastructure Ontario worked closely with Humber River Regional Hospital to select the qualified teams.  Companies were selected based on their development, design, construction, financial, and facilities management capacity to undertake a project of this size and complexity.

The design and construction of the new hospital will adhere to the guidelines and sustainability principles of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) rating system, with a goal of achieving LEED® Silver certification. LEED buildings focus on healthy indoor environments, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and efficient use of energy, water and other resources.

The new hospital will have capacity for 656 beds. It will enable Humber River to provide a more comprehensive range of new services and support for inpatient and outpatient hospital programs, including:

• Greater access to quality health care and increased patient care;
  
  
• Reduced wait times;
  
  
• Expanded emergency services;
  
  
• Increased specialized outpatient services;
  
  
• Modern diagnostic equipment for better patient diagnosis and treatment; and
  
  
• Updated infectious disease containment systems to monitor and prevent a broad range of infections.

"Our team was very impressed by the quality of all respondents to our Request for Qualifications. The three proponents selected to move to the Request for Proposal stage each have the industry-leading expertise we need to ensure our new hospital is a very special place for patients and families. We are committed to creating the finest hospital facility possible and we're excited to reach this milestone in our project. Our entire organization is eager to move to the next phase of work in advance of breaking ground next fall,"  Rueben Devlin, President & CEO, Humber River Regional Hospital

This investment will create spin off benefits in the community and region with supplies purchased from local businesses and potentially hundreds of construction workers will be employed during the project.

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with Humber River Regional Hospital to build the new 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 or www.hrrh.on.ca for more information.

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For further information:

Contacts:

Terence Foran                                          Gerard Power
Infrastructure Ontario                                Humber River Regional Hospital
416-325-2939                                           416-243-4448