March 22, 2000
(Health and Community Services)

Each year, health and community services boards establish their priorities for renovations and major capital projects. This year, and future years, government will provide a significant increase in the amount of money available to the boards for these areas in particular so that the most pressing needs can be addressed.

• Approximately $330 million has been committed for health facilities and renovations in the past five budgets. Examples include the following:

• $20 million is approved for 2000/01 and 2001/02 for continued work on the redevelopment of James Paton Memorial Hospital in Gander.

• $14.1 million will be spent in 2000-01 on new health centres for Fogo, Bonne Bay and Old Perlican.

• $5.1 million will be spent in 2000-01 to complete the $30 million Melville Health Centre in Goose Bay.

• $1.2 million will be spent in 2000-01 to complete the new $8.2 million Harbour Breton Health Centre.

• $3 million will be spent to continue work on the new Stephenville Hospital. This $26 million project will be complete in 2003-04.

• Government is committing $1.5 million to a new $3.5 million, 30-room Janeway hostel.

• Government will also spend at least $500,000 to begin planning for a new $17.3 million clinic and long term care facility for Grand Bank. This project is expected to be completed in 2003-04.

• $250,000 will be spent to add eight new beds to the Forteau community health centre.

• And, $6.3 million will be spent this year to continue construction on the approximately $10 million, 60-bed Carmelite House in Grand Falls-Windsor.

• $8.7 million will be spent on renovations to health care facilities in 2000-01.

• $700,000 will complete the $1 million redevelopment/ambulatory care project at Clarenville Hospital.

• $500,000 will also be provided for renovations to the exterior of J. I. O�Connell Centre in Corner Brook. In total, government will have contributed $1.2 million to this facility.

• $800,000 will be spent on renovations to the emergency department at the Carbonear General Hospital.

This money will address fire and life safety issues in the province�s long term care facilities, and other needed renovations to our many health facilities. This includes, but is not limited to:

• upgrades to resident rooms at Lakeside Homes; a wheelchair ramp at Carmanville Clinic; renovations to Glovertown Clinic and St. Brendan�s clinic; roof repairs to Bonnews Lodge;

• upgrading of heating system at A.M. Guy Memorial Health Centre, window replacement at Baie Verte Peninsula Health Centre, and upgrading of X-ray Air Handling at Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre;

• repairing of the boiler stack at Western Memorial Regional Hospital, replacement of the hot water heating system for the Corner Brook Interfaith Home, as well as replacement of some flooring at J. I. O�Connell Centre;

• upgrading of sprinkler system and power plant electrical system at Charles S. Curtis Hospital;

• renovations to redesign the birthing suite, laboratory and entrances to Captain William Jackman Memorial Hospital;

• some flooring replacement, and elevator and electric system upgrades at facilities under the Health Care Corporation of St. John�s;

• ventilation improvements at facilities under the Avalon Health Care Institutions Board and the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre, including Harbour Lodge, Carbonear Interfaith Home, G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital and Burin Peninsula Health Centre;

• fire and life safety upgrade at facilities under the St. John�s Nursing Home Board; and,

• roof repairs and kitchen floor replacement at Pentecostal Senior Citizen�s Home in Clarke�s Beach.

Media contact:

Karen McCarthy, Communications, (709)729-6670.

Carl Cooper, Communications, (709)729-1377.

2000 03 22