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May 6, 2002 - Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Tony Clement
today announced major capital funding for London hospitals. St.
Joseph's Health Care London (SJHC) and the London Health Sciences
Centre (LHSC) are receiving additional capital funds towards their
rebuilding plans.
The additional funding brings the Ministry's total
contribution to the London hospitals' redevelopment to $211 million,
an increase from $150 million announced in 1999. The total project
cost now stands at $369.5 million. Thanks to unprecedented community
support, more than $127 million has already been raised toward the
London Hospitals Capital Campaign goal of $150 million.
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The
announcement at LHSC. From left: London Deputy Mayor Russ Monteith,
MPP Bob Wood, LHSC Board Chair Geoff Davies, LHSC CEO Tony Dagnone,
MPP Frank Mazzilli, MPP Dianne Cunningham
"Rebuilding London's hospital system is an exciting prospect -
especially because of the community resolve and support to make
it happen. We are a community achieving what some might think is
impossible - the transformation of an entire hospital system. London
has embraced a new vision for the future while upholding the values
and histories upon which they were founded," said Cliff Nordal,
president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health Care London.
SJHC received $21.6 million, bringing the Ministry's contribution
to $43.5 million toward a total project cost of $99.5 million. The
increase covers enhancements to the SJHC master plan including a
new two-storey perioperative and diagnostic imaging building and
new operating rooms.
LHSC received $32 million, the Ministry's single largest capital
announcement this year. This brings the Ministry's contibution to
$168 million toward a total project cost of $270 million. This will
allow LHSC to close the South Street site (formerly Victoria Hospital)
and transfer acute care programs from St. Joseph's Health Care London.
The increased investment at Victoria Campus allows LHSC to finally
construct a custom-designed children's hospital adjoining the Grace
Donnelly Women's Health Pavilion.
"With the Minister's endorsement of the future vision of London
hospitals, we are ready to move full speed ahead with the challenging
work of making this vision a reality for our health care providers,
students, and most importantly, for our patients," said Tony Dagnone,
president and CEO of LHSC. Dagnone added, "This announcement is
an expression of confidence on the part of the provincial government
that London will be a premier medical centre in Ontario with national
recognition."
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