Regional Hospital Board approves $318 million for surgical tower
PRINCE GEORGE – The Board for the Regional Hospital Board has approved its commitment to the $1.6 Billion surgical tower. That dollar amount is just over $318 million dollars. That’s on top of the $45.3 million committed to date for the business plan and the early works, such as the parking lot on Lethbridge Street.
“At the end of the day, I fully recognize this was a really, really contentious issue, probably the most challenging one that I’ve worked on in my 17 years as an elected official because of the vast amount of money that is being spent,” says Joan Atkinson, Chair of the Regional Hospital Board. “But the same time, we all recognize we need better health services in this part of the province.”
The Regional District’s commitment is $365 million or 21.6 percent of the total cost of the project. And there was plenty of concern voiced over keeping to that dollar figure, regardless of cost overruns.
“We tied that percentage piece to it, so 21.6% [of the total cost] so that we are not going over that $365 million cap. And we tied that percentage piece to it, at 21.6%, so that if for some immaculate, amazing reason they come in under budget, it’s whatever is less the 21.6% or through $365, whichever number is less.”