Site Announced for New Western Memorial Regional Hospital

Construction of a new state-of-the-art health care facility is one step closer to reality today as the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and MHA for Humber West, announced the site for the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook. The Premier was joined by the Honourable Paul Oram, Minister of Health and Community Services; the Honourable Tom Marshall, MHA for Humber East; and other regional MHAs and town representatives.

�We are so pleased to be moving forward with the development of this new regional hospital, that will serve the west coast of our province and provide high quality health care to our residents,� said Premier Williams. �This is the beginning of what is undoubtedly one of the largest single infrastructure projects this province has seen in many years. This new facility is yet another example of our government�s unprecedented investment into providing exceptional infrastructure that will serve our people and make our communities more competitive and attractive as a place to live, work and raise a family.�

The process for selecting a site for the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital began when the Department of Transportation and Works engaged AMEC Americas Ltd. to identify potential locations in the City of Corner Brook. Of the 15 potential sites considered, the area located on the north side of Lewin Parkway and east of Wheeler�s Road, near the intersection, was chosen based on the evaluation of a number of criteria including: physical conditions such as soil type and groundwater levels; access to municipal services; land availability for current requirements and expansion potential; and of great importance, overall location and accessibility for the people of the entire region.

�When complete, the new hospital will further serve to meet the needs of the people living in this region,� said Minister Oram. �We are committed to further building upon a healthcare system that is responsive to the needs of our residents. Providing high-quality regional facilities such as this new hospital will ensure people have quality of care when they need it most. Our government is proud that Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest number of nurses per capita, the highest number of doctors in our history and more dialysis stations per capita than any other province. These indicators and the sheer magnitude of overall spending are reflective of our unwavering commitment to providing quality health care to our people.�

The new hospital will provide state-of-the-art health care technology and will be based on leading edge acute care delivery models. Hatch Mott McDonald, in association with Agnew Peckham, was awarded the contract to facilitate program planning. The programming determination for the facility is well underway. Once this process is finalized, planning for site preparation work can begin.

�I am pleased to see work on this important project moving forward,� said Minister Marshall. �This new facility not only represents a further commitment by our government to healthcare, it represents a long-term investment in the region.�

The Williams Government�s overall infrastructure strategy is valued at approximately $800 million this fiscal year and over $4 billion over the next several years. Additionally, the Provincial Government�s health care budget has grown to $2.6 billion annually, investing in significant initiatives such as: more than $200 million for new medical equipment such as MRIs, CT Scanners and digital mammography units; cancer and other drugs; dialysis; insulin pumps for children; home care for seniors; approximately $18 million for mental health and addictions services; and in the past two years more than $75 million has been invested to further enhance laboratory services, cancer care and health information management in the province.

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2009 09 28                                                    2:20 p.m.