November 30, 2016
OTTAWA, November 30, 2016 - The University of Ottawa Heart Institute would like to clarify its position with respect to the relocation of the Civic Campus and in particular as it relates to the current expansion of the Heart Institute facilities:
- For the last 40 years, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and The Ottawa Hospital have worked together to establish world-class care for cardiac patients and will continue to do so in the future.
- The current expansion of the Heart Institute on the Civic Campus was planned a decade ago, initiated in 2006 in collaboration with The Ottawa Hospital, and approved by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care in 2012, to address in a timely fashion the growing needs of cardiac patients in our community.
- In the last 3 years, we have moved along expeditiously on time and on budget with our expansion thanks to the support of the Government of Ontario and of our amazing community and the continuing cooperation of The Ottawa Hospital. In early 2018, a state of the art expanded facility, costing over $200 M, adjacent to the current Heart Institute building will open its doors. Further renovations including a new cardiac imaging center and a new lobby are scheduled to occur before 2020, so that the University of Ottawa Heart Institute will be able to continue to serve well our community with exceptional care for a minimum of 20-25 years.
- The long-term master plan of The Ottawa Hospital complex always included at some point the relocation on a new Civic Campus site of a “next generation” Heart Institute. Considering the current Heart Institute’s expansion, it has been anticipated that such a brand new Heart Institute would be logically staged as the last phase of a multi-phased long-term project, far beyond 2026.
- Regarding the relocation of the Civic Campus, given that cardiac patients need non cardiac services delivered by The Ottawa Hospital, any site remote from the current location of the Heart Institute on Ruskin Street is less desirable, given that we will continue to operate out of our current location for at least 10 years after 2026 until final completion of the “next generation” Heart Institute.
- The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is committed to our community and to working together with The Ottawa Hospital in the matter of the new Civic Campus development and we would be pleased to be part of any continuing discussion with the NCC and all levels of Government as we move forward in the interest of our patients in a fiscally responsible manner.
No further comments will be made at this time.
Contact
Vincent Lamontagne
Director, Corporate Communications
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-899-6760
vlamontagne@ottawaheart.ca