Request for qualifications issued for Humber River Regional Hospital project

TORONTO, May 27 /CNW/ - Infrastructure Ontario and Humber River Regional Hospital today released a request for qualifications (RFQ) to design, build, finance and maintain its new acute care hospital.

The new hospital will have capacity for 656 beds, 3,300 staff and approximately 600 physicians. It will enable Humber River to provide an even more comprehensive range of services to support inpatient and outpatient hospital programs, including:

    
    -   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.
    

The design and construction of the new hospital will contribute to a healthy environment and by extension patient and community health. The project will adhere to the guidelines and sustainability principles of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED(R)) rating system, with a goal of achieving the highest possible LEED(R) certification. LEED buildings focus on healthy indoor environments, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and efficient use of energy, water and other resources.

The RFQ is the first step in the process to select a team to design, build, finance and maintain the hospital, which will be located on the Province's Downsview Complex at Keele Street and Wilson Avenue in Toronto.

RFQ submissions will be reviewed to pre-qualify project teams with the design, construction and facilities management experience as well as the qualified personnel and the financial strength to deliver a project of this size and complexity. These teams will then be invited to respond to a request for proposals, expected to be released in fall 2010.

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 managing some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information.

Quotes:

Monte Kwinter, MPP for York Centre

"Today we move another step toward greater access to health care. The new hospital will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility and bring tremendous benefits to residents in our community."

Laura Albanese, MPP for York-South Weston

"The Ontario government's commitment to the new facility is important to everyone in our community. It's encouraging to see progress being made with the Humber River Regional Hospital project."

Mario Sergio, MPP for York West

"Humber River Regional Hospital is a major redevelopment to improve our local health care and expand services we rely on close to home."

Dr. Rueben Devlin, President & CEO of Humber River Regional Hospital

"We are thrilled to reach this important milestone in our plan to design and build Ontario's first digital hospital. It will be a lean, green building, incorporating the latest in environmental sustainability concepts. It will be patient, family and community-friendly, bringing a new way of thinking to hospital design in Ontario."

Disponible en français

For further information: Terence Foran, Infrastructure Ontario, [phone]; Gerard Power, Humber River Regional Hospital, [phone]