The North Island Hospitals Project has named Tandem Health Partners as the selected proponent for the public private partnership.
The naming of Tandem Health Partners as the selected proponent follows an extensive evaluation of proposals from the three teams that were short-listed and invited to submit proposals to design, build, finance and maintain two new hospitals in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.
The next step is to begin negotiations with Tandem Health Partners – a process aimed at reaching a fixed price, performance-based agreement. Should an agreement be reached, construction of the two new hospitals will begin shortly afterward with completion estimated for late 2017.
A new 153-bed hospital for the Comox Valley and a new 95-bed hospital for Campbell River were announced by the province on April 26, 2012. These two state-of-the-art-hospitals will:
Provide patient-centred care for Islanders, including First Nations and the elderly
Attract and retain health-care professionals
Be high-performing, sustainable and energy efficient
John Singleton, QC, the fairness advisor for the competitive selection process, has had full access to every aspect of the evaluation and will prepare an independent opinion regarding fairness of the process. The reports of the fairness advisor will be made public at: www.partnershipsbc.ca
Details of an agreement to build the new hospitals will be made public if an agreement is finalized.
The North Island Hospitals Project will be built as a public-private partnership. Examples of previous partnerships in B.C. that resulted in new health care facilities include the Royal Jubilee Hospital Patient Care Centre in Victoria, the Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre and the Fort St. John Hospital and Peace Villa.
Public-private partnerships improve cost-effectiveness by taking advantage of private sector innovation, experience and flexibility as well as help with government debt levels by reducing capital costs.
The project will create approximately 1,900 direct jobs and over 1,400 indirect jobs over the construction period. All health-care services will continue to be funded by the B.C. Government and delivered by Island Health. The cost of the project will be shared by the BC Government and the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District.
The Tandem Health Partners team includes:
Balfour Beatty Capital – Canada Inc.Gracorp Capital Advisors Ltd.Connor Clark & Lunn GVest Traditional Infrastructure LPGraham Design Builders LPBalfour Beatty with Farmer Construction Ltd.Stantec Inc.Blue Cottage ConsultingHoneywell International Inc.Balfour Beatty Communities.
The North Island Hospitals Project includes:
A 153-bed Comox Valley hospital in Courtenay near the Lerwick/Ryan road intersection. The Comox Valley work will create approximately 1,000 direct jobs and over 750 indirect jobs in industries supplying goods and services used in construction.
A 95-bed Campbell River hospital at the existing hospital site on the corner of Birch Street and 2nd Avenue. The Campbell River work will create approximately 900 direct jobs and over 650 indirect jobs in industries supplying goods and services used in construction.
Both new hospitals will continue to provide the same acute care services currently being delivered at the Campbell River and Comox Valley hospital sites.
Once an agreement can be finalized with the selected proponent, construction will begin in summer 2014 with completion estimated for late 2017.