SAULT STE. MARIE - David Orazietti, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie, joined hospital officials and members of the Sault Ste. Marie City Council today for a tour of the site of the new Sault Area Hospital.
Construction for the Sault Area Hospital project began in August 2007 and is on time and on budget to open its doors to patients in April 2011. The new hospital will replace the existing facilities at the Plummer Memorial Hospital and the Sault Ste. Marie General Hospital sites and consolidate services in a facility that is 20 per cent larger than the two hospitals combined. The new hospital is approved to operate the same 289 bed complement as the existing sites and, for the first time will provide a range of radiation therapy services.
"A hospital with a wide range of services is crucial to the life of a vibrant community,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. "Through our $30-billion infrastructure plan, ReNew Ontario, communities throughout the province will have access to modern health care closer to home.”
“This project is an essential part of the province's commitment to renew hospitals,” said David Caplan, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. "I'm pleased that the hospital will soon provide cutting-edge health care in the North.”
“This tour is a great opportunity to see the tremendous progress that has been made on our new, state-of-the-art hospital,” said MPP Orazietti. “With more single bed rooms, a larger emergency department, and new infection control facilities the new Sault Area Hospital will enhance patient care, improve our ability to attract and retain doctors and other health care professionals and provide a significant boost to the local economy.”
Already in the second winter of construction, the project is more than 60 per cent complete. Over the next few months, construction activities will include installation of the glass “curtain wall” enclosing the main lobby, cladding, mechanical and electrical services, drywall, painting and flooring. Permanent power will be available to the full facility in April 2009.
At the moment, there are over 60 subcontractors working on the project and the total man hours to date is over one million. Eighty per cent of the manpower on the project comes from the Sault area, with the average number of workers on site daily ranging from 500600. Approximately $105 million in salaries will be paid out over the duration of the construction project and the expected value of locally purchased supplies is approximately $15-$23 million.
“I would like to thank our Board, staff, physicians, volunteers, the Sault Area Hospital Foundation and the communities in the region for their generous donations and support for this project,” said Ron Gagnon, SAH President and Chief Executive Officer.
“On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to congratulate everyone associated with this magnificent addition to the health care landscape of the region,” added Elaine Pitcher, SAH Board Chair. “We are proud of our role in this once-in-a-lifetime milestone project.”
Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with the Sault Area Hospital to manage the construction of the new 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.
Contacts:
Amy Tang
Minister's Office
Energy and Infrastructure
416-327-6747
Mario Paluzzi
Sault Area Hospital
705-759-3837
Jessica Hooker
Infrastructure Ontario
416-327-5325
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