TORONTO - Plenary Health, the company selected to build, finance and maintain the new North Bay Regional Health Centre, is offering the public an easy way to view the hospitals' construction progress.   Plenary Health has installed six web cameras on the construction site.  Images from the web cameras are available on Plenary Health's new web site at www.northbay.plenaryprojects.com.

Visitors to the site can view snapshots from a time lapsed streaming video broadcasting construction of the entire site of the new North Bay Regional Health Centre.  The site will display and update the webcam images every 60 seconds, 24 hours a day. 

“This project is one of many that we're committed to in ReNew Ontario, the government's $30-billion plus infrastructure investment plan, to renew and modernize infrastructure,” said David Caplan, Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. “It's terrific to be able to watch our vision turning into a reality in North Bay.” 

"It's very exciting to be able to watch the progress as the construction of our new health centre proceeds," said Nipissing MPP Monique Smith. "It is very exciting to see all of the progress to date.  It's important for people to see how all the small daily activities on the construction site will come together to create our state-of-the-art healthcare facility." 

In addition to watching the hospitals as they are built, visitors to Plenary Health's web site can find the latest facts and figures about the project and learn about the technology behind the most complex health care project in North Bay's history. 

“For the first time, visitors can watch the developments of one of the largest construction projects in northern Ontario from wherever and whenever they choose,” said Mike Marasco, Chief Executive Officer, Plenary Health.

Construction of the new North Bay Regional Health Centre began in March 2007.  Since then, more than 11,000 cubic metres of concrete have been poured and all steel foundation piles (2,410 in total) have been installed. Work at the regional health centre continues to progress.  As of November 2007:

  • Structure in the north-east corner of the site has reached the roof level.
  • Pile caps and foundations are in progress in the rest of the site.
  • Mechanical and electrical rough-in and masonry works are in progress inside the erected structure.
  • Four tower cranes are currently in use. 
  • Approximately 250 people are on the construction site. 

Economic projections estimate that during the project's construction, more than $150 million in salaries will be paid. Spending in the area is expected to increase from an estimated $70 million to approximately $80 million for the purchase of supplies and services from local businesses.    

The North Bay Regional Health Centre is a partnership between the North Bay General Hospital and the Northeast Mental Health Centre.  

The new North Bay General Hospital will expand services to include a larger emergency department, a new consolidated ambulatory care centre and increased capacity in the Critical Care Unit, the Complex Continuing Care Unit and the Rehabilitation Unit as well as a new Acute Mental Health Unit.  The new Northeast Mental Health Centre will be linked to the general hospital via a shared entrance and several shared common areas.

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with the North Bay General Hospital and the Northeast Mental Health Centre to manage the construction of the North Bay Regional Health Centre, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable. Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the Province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget.

The project is guided by principles outlined in the Province's Building a Better Tomorrow framework, which ensures public ownership of core assets such as hospitals, schools and water and wastewater facilities.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information. 

Contacts: 

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

Paulette den Elzen 
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-327-5764 

Mike Marasco 
Plenary Health 
604-638-3963