The tender has been awarded for the integrated Saskatchewan Hospital/ corrections facility project.
Access Prairies Partnership has won the competitive selection process and will build the new facility as a design-build-finance-maintain public-private partnership (P3).
Access Prairies Partnership includes a number of partners including Graham Design Builders LP, Carillion Canada Inc., Gracorp Capital Advisors LP, Carillion Private Finance Ltd., Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. and WSP Canada.
They will be responsible for designing and constructing the 188-bed facility as well as the integrated 96-room correctional centre to support offenders living with mental health issues.
Access Prairies Partnership was one of three groups shortlisted in the bidding process. The bid was awarded following what was described as a competitive best value selection process and that process has been ongoing for the past several months.
The other major news is that the project is definitely going ahead as a P3.
According to the provincial government’s news release, SaskBuilds and its external financial advisors have determined there was value for money in delivering the project using the P3 model, compared to doing the same project using a traditional approach.
“The P3 model is the right choice for delivering this leading-edge project in the most cost-effective and timely way,” SaskBuilds Minister Gordon Wyant said in a statement.
“By using a P3, Saskatchewan people can enjoy the benefits of publicly owned facilities sooner than could otherwise be achieved through a traditional approach and also be assured the projects will be built on-budget.”
The government says contract negotiations now begin to finalize terms of the contract.
They are estimating more than 1,500 Saskatchewan jobs will be created from the project.
In a statement, Battlefords MLA Herb Cox was buoyant.
“This new project demonstrates our government’s commitment to acting on the recommendations of the Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan,” Environment Minister Cox said.
“This new facility will ensure people in Saskatchewan have access to timely and appropriate services they need.”
“Prairie North Health Region is thrilled that replacement of the century-old Saskatchewan Hospital is another step closer to reality,” said Prairie North Regional Health Authority vice-president Vikki Smart.
“We look forward to working with Access Prairies Partnership and with our ministry partners toward the milestone our patients, staff and community are eagerly awaiting – turning of the sod to signal the start of construction on the new mental health facility.”
The province now estimates construction on the publicly owned facility will begin this summer and be completed by the spring of 2018. Pre-construction work had been underway at the Sask Hospital site for the last couple of months.
