COURTENAY/CAMPBELL RIVER - The release of the Request for Proposals signifies another important step forward in the competitive selection process to choose a team to design, build, finance, and maintain two new hospitals in Comox Valley and Campbell River.

"Our government is proud to invest up to $600 million in two new hospitals to ensure North Vancouver Island families have the best medical care when they need it and where they need it, in their communities," said Comox Valley MLA Don McRae on behalf of Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid.

The release of the Request for Proposals follows the announcement of the shortlisted proponent teams on Oct. 4, 2012. Three qualified teams were selected from a group of eight that responded to the Request for Qualifications, which closed on Aug. 8, 2012. VIHA expects to award the contract in early 2014. Construction will begin soon after, and the hospitals are expected to be completed in 2017.

The three teams selected to move forward to the Request for Proposals stage are:

• Arbutus Healthcare Partners.

• Plenary Health.

• Tandem Health Partners.

The quality of the three short-listed firms is very strong," said Claire Moglove, chair of the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District. "Moving to the RFP stage is a significant step in the development of the North Island Hospitals Project, which will have such a positive impact on health-care delivery in our region."

"We are very pleased to see the North Island Hospitals Project achieve this important milestone and want to thank our stakeholders for important contributions," said Don Hubbard, Vancouver Island Health Authority board chair. "We look forward to seeing how the proponents develop their visions for these two state-of-the-art facilities."

The North Island Hospitals Project includes a new 95-bed hospital in Campbell River and a new 153-bed hospital in the Comox Valley.

The estimated capital cost of up to $600 million for the project will be shared by the B.C. government and the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District. The project will create approximately 1,900 direct jobs and over 1,400 indirect jobs. All health-care services will continue to be funded by the B.C. government and delivered by VIHA.

The North Island Hospitals Project is part of government's three-year, $2.3-billion investment in health-capital projects throughout the province.

Quick Facts:

• The new Campbell River Hospital will be approximately 23,000 square metres and built on the existing hospital site.

• The new Comox Valley Hospital will be approximately 29,000 square metres and built near at the intersection of Lerwick and Ryan Roads in Courtenay, adjacent to the North Island College campus.

• The Comox Valley Hospital's proximity to the North Island College will support the education of health-care professionals and other partnerships.

• The Campbell River Hospital will support a Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal Maternal Health.

• Over the life of the project, approximately 1,900 construction-related jobs are expected to be created as a result of the overall North Island Hospitals project.

• The new buildings will be designed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards, and will maximize the interior and exterior use of wood, in keeping with the Wood First Act.

Learn More:

Visit the project website: www.viha.ca/about_viha/building_for_health/nihp.htm

Media Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Dan MacLennan
Communications Officer
VIHA Communications
250 850-2943