Health Minister Terry Lake joined hospital officials, staff, community members and health-care partners today to clear the way for construction of the new Teck Acute Care Centre on the grounds of BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. 

“Today’s event is an important milestone for the BC Children’s and BC Women’s redevelopment project as we take the next step towards a new facility,” said Lake. “On behalf of the provincial government, I want to thank all those who have helped make this project possible through their donations to the fundraising campaign. Their contributions, along with the funding from the Province will ensure the Teck Acute Care Centre becomes a reality.”

The total cost of the three-phase redevelopment project is estimated at $676 million. The provincial government contribution to the overall project is $532 million. BC Children’s Hospital Foundation is contributing $144 million toward Phase 2.

Two wings of the 74-year-old Shaughnessy building at the site are being demolished to make room for the new structure. Hazmat abatement will take place prior to phased-in demolition, which is expected to start in late summer. Construction of the new facility is anticipated to get underway this winter, with completion by 2017.

The Teck Acute Care Centre, named in recognition of the $25 million that Teck Resources Limited has contributed since the donation was announced in 2008, will be a bright, modern facility with single-occupant patient rooms, access to natural light and gardens. It includes medical/surgical inpatient units, an emergency department, medical imaging and procedural suites, a hematology/oncology department and a pediatric intensive care unit for BC Children’s Hospital. There will also be a high-risk labour and delivery suite and a new neonatal intensive care unit for BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. 

“The investment in this new facility ensures that both hospitals continue to provide highly specialized care for the sickest children and youth, and most complex obstetrical cases in British Columbia,” said Provincial Health Services Authority board chair Wynne Powell. “The new facility puts patients first, by incorporating advances in medical technology, improving service efficiency and creating better working environments for our health professionals.”

This project has been made possible, in part, through the contributions of over 80,000 donors to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s $200-million “Campaign for BC Children.” Over the past five years, $150 million has been raised for the new Teck Acute Care Centre and a further $50 million for the delivery of specialized care to children throughout the province through Child Health BC.

“Construction of the Teck Acute Care Centre is the culmination of years of support by countless volunteers and donors, who gave their time, energy and enthusiasm to make this new hospital a reality,” said Don Lindsay, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s campaign chair and president and CEO, Teck. “Teck and its employees are proud to support the creation of a facility that will provide first-class health care for children from communities across British Columbia and the Yukon.”

The Teck Acute Care Centre will be an eight-storey facility, approximately 59,400 square metres (640,000 square feet) in size. The facility will be designed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standard and include extensive use of wood, consistent with the Province of B.C.’s Wood First Act.

Phase 2 of the redevelopment project will create approximately 2,000 direct and 1,250 indirect jobs.

In addition to constructing the new Teck Acute Care Centre, Affinity Partnerships, the preferred proponent, will be responsible for building maintenance, life cycle repair and renewal, and project financing over the life of the 30-year, fixed-price contract.

The total cost of the three-phase redevelopment project is estimated at $676 million. The provincial government contribution to the overall project is $532 million. BC Children’s Hospital Foundation is contributing $144 million toward Phase 2. Overall BC Children’s Hospital Foundation has raised $150 million it to support the redevelopment of the hospital campus. The foundation also funded the recently opened Djavad Mowafaghian Child Care Centre, which was undertaken as a separate project but is included in the $150 million raised.

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Kristy Anderson
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Ben Hadaway
Provincial Health Services Authority
BC Children’s and BC Women’s Redevelopment Project
604 871-5699 (media pager)

Stephen Forgacs
Director, Communications
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
604 719-4381 (cell)

Chris Stannell
Senior Communications Specialist
Teck
604 699-4368

BACKGROUNDER

BC Children’s and BC Women’s Redevelopment Project

The BC Children’s and BC Women’s Redevelopment Project is a three-phase, multi-year project that will see the construction of the new Teck Acute Care Centre and renovation of existing facilities at BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre.

Phase 1 (2010-14) - Renovation and relocation:

• Renovation and relocation of 140 programs and services.
• Construction of the Clinical Support Building, which opened in November 2012.
• Three additional beds for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
• Additional space for the University of British Columbia faculty of medicine.
• Construction of the new Djavad Mowafaghian Child Care Centre, which was undertaken by the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation as a separate project.

Phase 2 (2014-17) - The Teck Acute Care Centre includes:

• A pediatric intensive care unit with a focus on single-patient rooms, with enough space for a parent to stay overnight.
• A neonatal intensive care unit providing 70 bassinettes in 70 single-patient rooms.
• High-risk birthing will be accommodated with single-patient rooms close to operating rooms, providing enough space for a partner to stay overnight.
• Hematology/oncology department for integrated inpatient and outpatient services.
• Medical imaging and procedures suites with the capability of ultrasound, MRI and CT.
• An emergency department with more single-patient rooms and dedicated space to address the needs of children with mental health issues.
• Two floors of medical/surgical inpatient units.
• All clinical areas include integrated space to accommodate hundreds of medical students, residents, nursing students and other health professional trainees.
• An additional 180 underground parking stalls.

Phase 3 (2018-19) - Renovation, relocation and expansion:

• The single-room maternity care at Women’s will be expanded and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children will move to the Oak St. site.

For more information about the redevelopment project, visit: www.newcw.ca

About Teck

Headquartered in Vancouver, Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. In January 2014, Teck was ranked as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations by media and investment company Corporate Knights, the second consecutive year Teck was included on the list. Teck employs over 7,900 people in B.C. at operations in communities throughout the province.

Media Contacts:

Kristy Anderson
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Ben Hadaway
Provincial Health Services Authority
BC Children’s and BC Women’s Redevelopment Project
604 871-5699 (media pager)

Stephen Forgacs
Director, Communications
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
604 719-4381 (cell)

Chris Stannell
Senior Communications Specialist
Teck
604 699-4368