Request for Qualifications Issued for Rouge Valley Health System's Ajax and Pickering hospital 

AJAX - Durham residents are a step closer to improved health care today with the release of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to shortlist teams to build and finance a major redevelopment of the Rouge Valley Health System's Ajax and Pickering hospital. 

The redevelopment will give the hospital an expanded Emergency Room, Diagnostic Imaging Department, Ambulatory Care Unit, Complex Continuing Care Unit, Laboratory and Mental Health services.      
“This marks an important milestone for West Durham,” said David Caplan, Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. The project is part of the government's five-year, $30 billion plus infrastructure investment plan that represents the biggest investment in health care in more than a generation.”

“This is a sign of our government's commitment to modernize and expand health care infrastructure to improve access to quality health care,” said George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long Term Care. 

“The Ajax and Pickering Hospital redevelopment and other similar projects across the province will improve Ontario's healthcare system and support our quality of life, said Wayne Arthurs, MPP for Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge. “The government's commitment to our hospital is important to everyone in our community.” 

“We're very pleased with the progress to date on this important project,” said President and CEO of Rouge Valley Health System, Hume Martin. “It is helping us to meet our goal of providing quality care to this rapidly growing community.”

The Rouge Valley Health System's Ajax and Pickering Hospital redevelopment project RFQ was issued as part of a combined qualification process including healthcare infrastructure projects in four other cities across the province.

Once qualified project teams have been short listed, they will be invited to respond to individual Requests for Proposals for each of these projects starting early in 2007.  

Rouge Valley Health System will manage the Ajax and Pickering Hospital redevelopment project with Infrastructure Ontario, an arm's length Crown corporation dedicated to the renewal of the province's hospitals, courthouses and other essential public assets. 

Using an Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model that ensures appropriate public control and ownership, Infrastructure Ontario uses private financing for large-scale and complex projects to strategically rebuild vital infrastructure, on time and on budget.

All infrastructure projects will be guided by the principles in the government's Building a Better Tomorrow framework, ensuring public ownership of core public assets such as hospitals, schools and water and wastewater infrastructure.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information. 

Contacts: 

Amy Tang  
Minister's Office 
Public Infrastructure Renewal
416-325-4048 

Terence Foran  
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-325-2939