It's full speed ahead for the building of the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North now that a final agreement has been signed between the builder and health partners involved.
The green light came Friday during an official announcement by the Ministry of Health Services that crews and equipment will begin site preparation next week with completion time still set for Sept., 2012.
Those attending the event were introduced to a large contingent of the Plenary Health team which was selected to design, build, finance and maintain the centre for the next 30 years.
Plenary Health CEO Mike Marasco, a former resident of Prince George, said his company is pleased and proud to be "a corporation in Prince George for the next 33 years.
He said at the peak building time, there will be 160 employees on the construction site, and that labour and sub-contracts will prove to be a "great boost to the local economy."
He added, when the centre is complete "everyone who touched the project will feel a sense of pride to have participated."
The builder's design has brought forth some unique features in the centre to be located on the parking lot to the north of the hospital now used by hospital staff.
Marasco's team has included a green roof, 87 underground parking stalls, a heated underground link to the University Hospital of the North, a lot of healing wood to reflect the region's industry, First Nation culture in landscaping and art, and an ability to allow expansion in the future.
Marasco said since more than 200 parking spots will be displaced at the hospital site, the first step will be to create temporary parking followed by a permanent parkade prior to breaking ground for the centre itself in late summer.
Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount, said the Plenary Health submission was chosen by partners BC Cancer Agency, Northern Health and the provincial government from three applicants because it "is unique and outstanding with a physical plan second to none."
Pat Bell, B.C. forest minister and MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie said, "two-thirds of a million board feet of lumber will be used in the construction.
"If laid end to end the lengths of lumber would reach to Mackenzie," said Bell, noting many varieties are the same as used by early First Nations people in the region.
The 54,000-square-foot centre will include two linear accelerators to deliver radiation treatment, a computerized simulator, a chemotherapy treatment unit, a pharmacy, outpatient clinics, offices and the parkade.
The Northern Cancer Control Strategy also includes renovations to the hospital for a six-bed oncology unit, expanded pathology, laboratory and diagnostic imaging services. Across Northern health sites cancer services are enhanced with clinics, equipment and information technology like telehealth capability to treat patients closer to home.
The total cost of the Northern Cancer Control Strategy is $102.8 million with the cost of the cancer centre itself fixed at $69.9 million. The other $32.9 million capital costs include renovations to UHNBC, of which up to $4 million is contributed by Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District, and regional cancer service enhancements.
John Rustad, MLA for Omineca, said the strategy and new clinic will build on the cancer program in place in B.C., "which has some of the most favourable cancer outcomes in the country"
He said both B.C. men and women have the lowest overall mortality rate for all cancers which he attributes in part to early diagnosis and quality treatment.
Dr. David Levy, BCCA president said the centre will also bring new research with UNBC, laboratories, treatment and clinical patient trials.
