TORONTO - Today is the last day for pre-qualified building teams to submit bids to build and finance a major redevelopment and expansion project at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute's (Toronto Rehab) University Centre site.

The project includes renovations to the existing 12-storey east wing and four-storey north wing and demolition of the south wing and auditorium to make way for construction of a new 13-storey patient care and research tower.

The redevelopment will also create over 17,000 square feet of new dedicated space for research and education. The new space will house the hospital's growing research program and will dedicate space to accommodate the increasing number of students who come to Toronto Rehab as part of their clinical training in a variety of health care disciplines. Once completed, Toronto Rehab's University Centre redevelopment project will enable the hospital to close its Hillcrest Centre site and move its Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Program to the new state-of-the-art facilities at the University Centre site. 

Toronto Rehab is at the forefront of one of the most important and emerging frontiers in health care today - rehabilitation sciences. As a fully affiliated teaching and research hospital of the University of Toronto, Toronto Rehab is Canada's largest academic hospital specializing in adult rehabilitation services, complex continuing care, and long-term care. Toronto Rehab is advancing rehabilitation knowledge and practice through research, education and patient care. 

“Hospitals are one of the pillars of our communities,” said David Caplan, Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. “This project is part of the government's five-year $30-billion-plus infrastructure investment plan, which represents the biggest investment in health care infrastructure in more than a generation.” 

“This redevelopment and expansion project is an essential part of the government's commitment to renew hospitals,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “This project will help improve access to quality rehabilitation care for all. Once complete, area residents will be able to get the care they need, when they need it, close to home.”  

The redeveloped Toronto Rehab University Centre will be a more modern hospital with facilities better designed to provide care to adults undergoing rehabilitation for serious injury and illness including stroke, brain injury and multiple trauma and cancer. The redevelopment project will also include the creation of iDAPT - Intelligent Design for Adaptation, Participation and Technology - one of the most advanced rehabilitation research facilities in the world. Toronto Rehab's iDAPT facilities will significantly change the landscape of rehabilitation research in Canada and beyond. 

“This signals the start of a new chapter for Toronto Rehab,” said Mark Rochon, President and CEO of Toronto Rehab. “This will be the site of one of the most progressive rehabilitation hospitals in the province, and one that will be at the cutting edge of research which translates into new and more effective treatments for people in need of highly specialized services.”  

The bids will be evaluated over the next few months.  The successful bidder is expected to be named in summer 2008.

Construction is expected to begin shortly after. 

Infrastructure Ontario is working with Toronto Rehab and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to redevelop the hospital, 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. 

This project is guided by principles outlined in the Province's Building a Better Tomorrow framework, which ensures public ownership of core assets such as hospitals, schools, and water and wastewater facilities.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information. 

Contacts: 

Amy Tang  
Minister's Office
Public Infrastructure and Renewal
416-325-4048  

Jessica Hooker
Infrastructure Ontario
416-327-5325

Carolyn Lovas  
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute  
416-597-3422, ext. 3837  

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