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New hospital one step closer to opening
Tuesday July 3rd, 2007
- Brampton Guardian
BRAMPTON - After three years of construction, controversy and debate, the residents of Brampton are finally getting their new hospital.
Yesterday's official key ceremony marked the end of construction and the transfer of the building from The Healthcare Infrastructure Company of Canada (THICC) to William Osler Health Centre. This begins the four month organization that will lead to the hospital opening on October 28.
"This is the day that the new hospital went from a dream to a reality," said board chair Duncan Glaholt at the event. "This is the move into modern, comprehensive, compassionate healthcare in this province. All new facilities and expanded programs will provide tremendous service to the residents of Brampton."
The new Brampton Civic Hospital is the country's largest health care infrastructure project and has cost more than $550 million for the building itself. The financing was arranged through a unique financing agreement with THICC, a private development consortium comprised of EllisDon Corporation, Borealis Infrastructure Management and Carillion Canada.
Under this mechanism, THICC fronted the money for the building of the hospital which will be paid back over the next 25 years by the hospital and the province of Ontario. At the end of the 25 years, the hospital will belong to the public. According to William Osler Health Centre's President and CEO, Robert Richards, the process is similar to mortgage payments.
"It is the same arrangement as when we purchase a home," he explains. "Many of us would never own a home if we had to pay for it up front. If the province of Ontario had to save the money to build the hospital, it may never have been built."
Under the arrangement, the consortium will handle the building maintenance, food services and building operations while the hospital focuses on providing government funded healthcare. As specified in the contractual agreement, the consortium will maintain the building to specified standards over the 25 years. At the end of this term, the building must be delivered in the same good condition to William Osler Health Centre and the public.
Richards agrees it is a good arrangement because it allows hospital administration and staff to focus on their area of specialty while the consortium does the same.
"We let people do what they do best, and we do what we do best which is to provide health care."
Over the next four months, hospital staff and administration will be busy setting up their units and preparing for the move day when patients will be transferred from the Queen Street site into the new facility. New, state-of-the-art equipment is currently being delivered and will be tested by staff and volunteers who will soon begin training in the new technologies.
Currently, the Brampton Civic Hospital is looking for staff to fill positions in both clinical and administrative areas.
For more information on the Brampton Civic Hospital and available careers, visit the Web site at www.williamoslerhc.on.ca.
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