WOMEN'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL CELEBRATES THE START OF REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

TORONTO, Sept. 28 /CNW/ - The Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, today joined hospital officials, community members and health care partners to officially launch the start of construction of a new Women's College Hospital and unveil a project sign to mark the occasion.

The redevelopment of Women's College Hospital involves the construction of a new 630,000 square foot hospital on the hospital's current Grenville Street site. The new facility will replace all existing buildings and consolidate most hospital services in one location, enabling innovation in ambulatory models of care and enhancing the hospital's stature as a leader in women's health care, research and education.

Construction of the new building is now underway and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2016. The construction project will provide a sizeable stimulus to the regional economy by directly and indirectly creating and supporting thousands of jobs. At the peak of construction, it is estimated that 300 workers will be on site daily. Labour will be drawn largely from the Greater Toronto Area.

The hospital has contracted Women's College Partnership to design, build, finance and maintain the new hospital for a 30-year period.

Highlights of Women's College Hospital's capital redevelopment project include:

• State-of-the-art ambulatory facility designed with specialized clinics and surgical suites that integrate prevention, disease management, treatment, research and education providing better patient flow, technology and an improved patient experience; 
  
  
• Easily accessible hub of programs, clinics and services that enable teams of care providers to help prevent and manage patient's diseases and conditions - based on how women lead their lives. This includes primary care, chronic disease management, surgical services, urgent care, gynaecology, diagnostics and mental health programs, all delivered in a flexible patient-centred, ambulatory model;
  
  
• Improved access for medical and diagnostic imaging services in an ambulatory setting;
  
  
• Co-location of research, education and patient care spaces to create improved knowledge translation between researchers, educators and clinicians.

The new building will allow for an expansion of existing programs including two new operating rooms and will increase the size of the Urgent Care Centre and Clinical Decisions Unit.

All the new buildings will be designed with environmentally responsible and sustainable features in order to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which includes rigorous requirements for energy management and conservation.

"The redevelopment of Women's College Hospital demonstrates the McGuinty government's commitment to invest in Ontario's health care infrastructure to build stronger and healthier communities," said Minister Matthews. "This project will enhance the quality of life and the quality of treatment offered to women and their families across Ontario who rely on the hospital's specialized care."

"Thanks to the province of Ontario we are building a new state-of-the-art facility that will be Ontario's only ambulatory hospital focused on meeting the unique health care needs and priorities of women and their families," said Marilyn Emery, President and CEO, Women's College Hospital. "Women's College Hospital is proud to continue its 100 year legacy of innovation in women's health."

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with Women's College Hospital on the redevelopment. Women's College Hospital 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.

For more information, visit www.womenscollegehospital.ca/redevelopment and www.infrastructureontario.ca.

Disponible en français

For further information:

Jodi Salem	Tom Boreskie
Women's College Hospital	Infrastructure Ontario
[phone] ext. 4054	[phone]