• Why a new hospital on a new site?
• What are some of the overlooked or unforeseen economic benefits of the new hospital?
• What are some other benefits of the new hospital?
• Why will the hospital be located at Third Line and Dundas?
• Who is overseeing the project?
• What has been accomplished so far?
• What are the next steps?
• When will construction begin?

Over the past 60 years OTMH has undergone many expansions and renovations which have resulted in a fragmented building that cannot be effectively expanded, renovated or regenerated. Planning specifications have changed over the years as has technology, equipment and patient expectations. The current site has structural barriers to implementing modern technologies and no room left for long-term regeneration. We have also run out of land given that we are currently situated on 10-acres of developable land in an established residential area.

Four comprehensive reports were conducted to address the options available to HHS for the future. The reports were:

• “Assessment of Planning Options” conducted for Halton Healthcare Services (2002)
• “A Regional Hospital Infrastructure Plan for Halton and Peel” conducted by the Halton-Peel District Health Council (2003)
• “Financial Analysis to Compare New Hospital with Redevelopment” conducted for Halton Healthcare Services (2003)
• “Halton Healthcare Services Facility Redevelopment Plans, including the Financial Analysis of a New Single Hospital versus Two Site Model” conducted for Halton Healthcare Services (2003)

Q: What are some of the overlooked or unforeseen economic benefits of the new hospital?
A:Large construction projects like the New Oakville Hospital result in numerous economic gains for communities. While the direct and indirect benefits associated with our new hospital have not been formally quantified, the following economic spin-offs are typical for projects of this kind:

• Hundreds of construction jobs over the three to four year construction phase
• Long-term maintenance jobs over the 30-year operations and maintenance phase
• Increased opportunities for healthcare professionals at the new facility
• Attract new medical, professional and service industry related jobs to the community

Q: What are some other benefits of the new hospital?
A:

• Improved infection prevention and control - with 80% single patient rooms we are significantly reducing the risk of infection.
• Family-centred patient care -  a larger proportion of single patient rooms will provide patients and their families with increased privacy and comfort as well as additional amenities including sleeping areas and lounges for families
• A proposed teaching agreement with McMaster University will link our new hospital to one of the most prestigious teaching hospitals in Canada. This will allow us to attract some of the most forward thinking physicians and healthcare workers who bring new innovative ideas and techniques to patient care. 
• Patients will benefit from a rigorously well-maintained and up-to-date facility through the 30-year lifecycle and building maintenance agreement. The contract with the project company hired to build our hospital will ensure the building will be maintained in “opening day” condition for the duration of the agreement.
• HHS will be able to increase employment opportunities because of the expansion of programs and services. New technologies and an enhanced working environment will make the new hospital a workplace of choice.
• The construction project will involve many construction trades and sub-trades. Economic spin-offs will directly affect material suppliers, providers of specialty services such as hotels, restaurants and more.
• Billions of provincial tax dollars will return to our community through the capital construction project, increased operating transfer payments for the hospital and the 30-year life-cycle and maintenance agreement of which 90% is funded by the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care.

Q: Why will the hospital be located at Third Line and Dundas?
A:  It was identified that 50+ acres was the amount of land necessary to accommodate a new hospital and allow for future expansions. We were fortunate to have received 50 acres at the corner of Third Line and Dundas Street from the Ontario Realty Commission (ORC) for a nominal fee.  This amount of land will provide us with the opportunity not only to expand and enhance our existing services but also ensures that we will have the capacity to grow with our community in the years to come. 

In addition to the size of the land, we will be building on a “greenfield” or undeveloped site. Building on an undeveloped site has many advantages - the construction team does not have to demolish or work around existing buildings; construction work will not be impeded by antiquated infrastructure such as old sewer systems; and construction will not affect operations at the current hospital.    

Q: Who is overseeing the project? 
A:Halton Healthcare Services’ Redevelopment Office has responsibility for overseeing the New Oakville Hospital project as well as other redevelopment projects at HHS hospitals. The Redevelopment Office engages a number of key stakeholders to assist them on this project. One such group is the Capital Planning Advisory Committee, which was established to monitor the progress of and provide advice regarding capital planning, development and financing of the New Oakville Hospital. The membership of this committee is comprised of Board Trustees, Senior Clinical Representatives from OTMH and community experts with specific knowledge and/or experience in development and construction, financing, accounting, legal or urban planning.

The Redevelopment Office is the main contact between the hospital and our government partners. They work with the provincial ministries overseeing the project, which include the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and with our Regional and Municipal governments.

Q: What has been accomplished so far?
A: Some of the milestones we have celebrated since the project was announced in 2005 include:

• Voice of Oakville – In March 2007, HHS held a number of community design assessment focus groups to engage community members in the planning and development of the new hospital. Representatives from the Oakville community, former and current patients, visitors, physicians as well as staff and volunteers participated in these sessions.
• Site Development - The selection and acquisition of a location for the new Hospital was completed in November 2007 with the transfer of a 50-acre parcel of land at the corner of Third Line and Dundas Street in Oakville. This land was transferred to HHS from the Ontario Realty Corporation for a nominal fee.
• Master Program Update - A narrative document describing the role and requirements for a particular facility once its role has been defined within the broad scope of all healthcare facilities in a region. The purpose of this document is to provide information for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) to determine planning horizons for each program that is outlined in the Functional Program. The Master Program Update was submitted to the MOHLTC for approval in March 2007.
• Master Plan - A physical planning document containing a site plan and site utilization diagrams that indicate the location of major elements of the building(s), access to and egress from the site and building(s) on the site, as well as locations of public utilities and parking. The Master Plan was submitted to the MOHLTC in October 2007.
• Local Share Plan - The Local Share Plan (LSP) is an agreement between the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and Halton Healthcare Services for the hospital component of local share related to the construction of the new hospital. The Local Share Plan illustrates the hospitals share of expenses and source of funds to cover those expenses.
• Functional Program Update – A document that presents detailed descriptions of the services that will be provided within the New Oakville Hospital and the resources required to support them. In addition to this, it provides instruction for the architectural and engineering team for the preparation of preliminary building designs and helps the architects and engineers to consider departmental proximity and space requirements when planning the hospital’s layout.  The updated Functional Program was submitted to the Ministry on June 30, 2009.
• Equipment Planning – A complete inventory and assessment of every piece of equipment and furniture currently used at OTMH was completed in 2008. Equipment planning is an on-going process and will be monitored closely up-to and following the opening of the new hospital. This will help us make decisions regarding what equipment can be taken to the new Hospital and what new pieces will have to be purchased.
• Block Schematics – Developed during preliminary design these diagrams of floor areas are used to explore departmental relationships.
• Project Specific Output Specifications (PSOS) – The PSOS were developed as part of the contract documents and consist of written descriptions of materials, equipment construction systems, standards and workmanship as they relate to our specific building project. These PSOS outline our expectations for the company who will be completing the design to our specification and building the new facility.
• Request for Qualifications (RFQ) – The RFQ was the first step in the process to select a team to design, build, finance and maintain the new hospital. The RFQ was released November 26, 2009.
• Short-listed teams named – Based on the RFQ process that began in November 2009 and following evaluations, three top ranking companies were short-listed and announced on May 6, 2010. The teams included: Hospital Infrastructure Partners Inc., Plenary Health and Community Health Consortium.
• Request for Proposals (RFP) – The short-listed companies were invited to respond to the RFP. The RFP outlines the procurement process, the information required from the bidders, the form in which proposals should be submitted and the criteria which will be used in evaluating the proposals. The RFP was released on May 31, 2010.
• Preferred Proponent announced – On June 7, 2011, Hospital Infrastructure Partners (HIP) was announced as the preferred proponent for the project. The selection of HIP was the result of extensive evaluations following an open, fair and competitive request for proposals process.
• Commercial & Financial Close achieved - On Friday, July 29, 2011, Infrastructure Ontario and Halton Healthcare Services announced Hospital Infrastructure Partners had signed a fixed-price contract to design, build, finance and maintain the new replacement Oakville Hospital. The announcement signified that all contractual steps had been completed and construction could begin.
• Groundbreaking celebration - HHS staff, physicians, volunteers, local officials, and Oakville residents gathered at the site of the New Oakville Hospital at Third Line and Dundas Street on Thursday, September 22, 2011, for a ceremonial groundbreaking event to officially kick off construction of the New Oakville Hospital.

Q: What are the next steps?
A: The short-listed teams have approximately six months to prepare their RFP submissions before the RFP closes in February 2011. During this time (RFP open period), representatives from Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) meet with bidders to assist the teams in preparing their submissions. The entire procurement process is monitored by a third-party fairness monitor to ensure an open and fair process.

The meetings play an important role in clarifying to bidders the expectations IO and HHS have for the design, construction and maintenance of the facility as well as the importance of fulfilling the patient-centred vision that has been developed by the HHS Board of Directors, staff, physicians, volunteers, patients and our community.

Q: When will construction begin?
A: We expect construction to begin in Summer 2011.