By John Devine
Special to Ontario Construction News
The Ottawa Hospital’s new president and CEO, Cameron Love, officially assumes his duties on June 29, and one of his priorities will be to oversee the construction of a new centre to replace the aging Civic Campus.
“The Ottawa Hospital is hiring someone who has already dedicated much of his life and career to making The Ottawa Hospital one of the premier academic hospitals in the country,” said Katherine Cotton, Chair of the Board of Governors. “Cameron … will continue to lead The Ottawa Hospital in achieving its vision to provide each patient with the world-class care, exceptional service and compassion that we would want for a loved one.”
Last summer the hospital received almost $9 million from the Province as it moved into the second stage of planning for the new campus. That was in addition to the $3 million the former Liberal government committed in 2016. In March of 2018, the Province announced it was investing $1.8 billion into the design and construction of the new campus.
“The approval from our provincial government to replace the aging Civic Campus is welcome news for our community, patients and health-care providers as together, we plan and build a 21st-century facility. This new campus will be a cornerstone in our region’s health-care system for generations to come,” said Dr. Jack Kitts, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital at the time of the announcement.
The evolution to a new 21st-century centre includes:
- The history of the Civic Hospital dates back to 1924, when if first opened. In 1998, Riverside, Civic, and General hospitals merge to become the Ottawa Hospital
- In 2007, the Ottawa Hospital convenes a steering committee to develop a Master Plan for 2020 and beyond
- The next year the committee’s master plan concludes the campus is too old and would be too difficult and costly to rebuild. Such a replacement project on the existing site would cost at least $1 billion more and take 20 years longer than building an entirely new facility. The Master Plan is delivered to the LHIN, which endorses it in April 2008
- From 2009 to 2013, the Ottawa Hospital continues discussions with the federal government and the Province related to the Master Plan and associated building and land requirements. In 2013, the federal government requests additional information to support a submission to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) for the development of the new campus
- The following year, the federal government commissions the NCC to assist in the land transfer process. The NCC, in collaboration with The Ottawa Hospital and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), reviews all planning material for the development of the new campus and prepares the required submission material for approval
- That October, the NCC receives TBS approval to begin transferring up to 60 acres of the preferred Central Experimental Farm (CEF) site from AAFC to the NCC, to be used for the development of a new campus. In November, the federal government announces the intent to transfer 60 acres to the NCC for the new campus. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is signed between AAFC, the NCC and The Ottawa Hospital
- From January to June of 2015, The Ottawa Hospital works with the NCC and AAFC to complete the land transfer agreement and an agreement to lease. An NCC-led community consultation on design and vision guidelines is planned but delayed until after the October 2015 federal election
- In summer 2016, the Minister of Canadian Heritage formally requests that the NCC re-evaluate land options, including the previously approved option on the Central Experimental Farm. Stakeholder and public consultations are held from August 29 to October 8, 2016. A final recommendation on the new site location to the Minister of Canadian Heritage is planned for November 24, 2016.
It’s anticipated the new campus will open for business in 2026, following a five-stage planning process. It is to be located on the north-east corner of the Central Experimental Farm, close to the intersection of Carling Avenue and Preston Street, near the current campus. The campus will provide patients with expanded services for emergency care, in-patient care and specialized regional programs such as trauma, neurosciences and vascular surgery.
“By investing in the redevelopment of The Ottawa Hospital – Civic Campus, we are protecting what matters most to patients and families in Ottawa and across Eastern Ontario. When completed, the new state-of-the-art facility will reflect the high-quality, specialized care that is delivered at this hospital, and will create more capacity and reduce wait times,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, when announcing the additional $9 million to support ongoing planning for the hospital’s redevelopment.