The initial $2.8 billion cost estimate for the new Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus was “based on a years old submission” and the project scope has “since evolved,” according to a spokesperson for Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones. And with the price tag hitting at least $10 billion for the new facility, the minister’s office says the City of Ottawa “has an important role to play” in supporting the hospital for residents in the capital. The new state-of-the-art health care and academic research centre on Carling Avenue was originally expected to cost $2.8 billion, with the Ontario government covering $2.1 billion. Last week, Infrastructure Minister David Piccini said the provincial investment is now “just shy of $10 billion towards the hospital.” Piccini blamed an “increase in costs” for the rising price tag, along with supply chains and “municipally imposed fees.” In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, a spokesperson for Jones said additional work and requirements have been identified through the planning process for the new Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. “The ministry has worked closely with the hospital to refine the scope and costs, accounting for factors that may not have been captured in the original submission, including the age and condition of existing infrastructure and the community’s evolving health care needs over the decades ahead,” the spokesperson said. The original $2.8 billion cost for the Ottawa Hospital included a local share of $687 million. In January, the Ottawa Hospital Foundation said it had raised $397 million of its $500 million fundraising goal to help pay for the hospital. The City of Ottawa has been asked to contribute $150 million to the project. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said last week that the city would not “cover billions and billions of dollars of additional costs of the hospital.” “That’s not our jurisdiction,” he said. The spokesperson for the health minister notes hospital development projects all follow the same standard construction cost-sharing formula, with the provincial government covering 90 per cent of the cost and a 10 per cent local share. “The City of Ottawa’s current contribution to The Ottawa Hospital is a fraction of what Mississauga, Oakville, Vaughan, Brampton and Windsor are contributing toward their respective local hospital projects, despite these municipalities being smaller than Ottawa,” the spokesperson said. “The Ottawa Hospital’s new Civic Campus will follow the same cost-sharing formula as every other hospital project in the province.” A spokesperson for the Ottawa Hospital would only say more details about the project would be released soon. “The design of The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus is complete, and construction timelines and project costs are being finalized with construction partners, the Ministry of Health and Infrastructure Ontario. We’re looking forward to sharing the details soon,” the spokesperson said on Oct. 28. The new hospital will have 641 single patient rooms, an expansion of operating rooms and other facilities for health care and research. Liberals call for ‘full budget’ release The Ontario Liberals are calling on the provincial government to announce the “full budget” for the new Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus and cover additional costs above the original estimate for the local share of the project. Interim Liberal leader John Fraser and Orléans MPP Stephen Blais held a media conference at Queen’s Park on Monday to call on the government to release the full cost of the project and an opening date. “You cannot put nearly $10 billion on the table and leave taxpayers guessing about the bill,” Fraser said in a media release. “Patients across Ottawa and eastern Ontario deserve to know when their hospital will open. They should not have to chase this government for basic answers.” The Liberals released five questions for Health Minister Sylvia Jones to answer. Blais told reporters the Ontario government should be responsible for cost overruns. “City of Ottawa is already stretched financially,” Blais said. “The mayor won re-election last week, largely on a $10 billion infrastructure plan. If, all of a sudden, hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars need to go into what should be a provincially paid for hospital, that throws into question the entirety of his infrastructure plan and mandate for the next four years.” The Ministry of Health would not corroborate the cost announced by Piccini, only saying it had invested more than $30 million to support the planning of the new hospital. In 2021, the hospital said the new campus could open in 2028. There is no word on when the hospital will be built and open to the public.
