Cost to fix aging hospitals in Halifax and Dartmouth $389M and growing

Revitalizing outdated and overburdened hospitals in the Halifax area will cost at least $389 million, according to confidential cabinet documents obtained by CBC News.

But that number is only expected to swell as the scope of the project widens to include more work.

According to the briefing note, that official estimate dates back toJan.9, 2014. The cabinet documents themselves are undated, but agovernment official confirmed theywould have been completed on Nov.4, 2015.

Here is the cost breakdown:

• Halifax Infirmary, Centennial building,VeteransMemorial:$251 million
• Dartmouth General Hospital:$138 million

Dartmouth General

The work at the Dartmouth General Hospital includesthird- and fourth-floor renovations that are eitherunderway oralready completed.

There's an estimate of $132 millionfor the cost of putting the hospital's fifth floor in operation, adding 50 beds to the facility'soverall capacityand building a new tower adjacent to the buildingin order to double the number ofoperating rooms to eight.

• Dartmouth General Hospital also facing overcrowding issues
• Victoria General Hospital replacement plans include demolition in 2022

The bureaucrat now overseeing the building project was quick to point out theestimate no longer holds true because the size of the project has grown.

For example, the figures only deal with the cost to emptythe Centennial buildingand not the adjacent Victoria building. Both buildings on the Victoria General site are slated for eventual demolition.

Final cost 'yet to be determined'

John O'Connor, executive director of major projects with the transportationdepartment, told CBC news the costs are likely to be higher thanthe estimate contained in the cabinet documents.

"The various aspects of that budget are still valid," said O'Connor. "The Dartmouth General hospital was included in the $389 million. So those portions are moving ahead with the budgets already known. But the Halifax side of the project has yet to be determined."

Hefty community contribution

The document also includes a breakdown of what the province estimates will be a 25 per cent "community share" of the costs.

At the time, the province estimated the QE2 Foundation might raise as much as $62.7 million withthe Dartmouth General Hospital CharitableFoundation chippingin $34.5 million.

Foundations traditionally contribute a quarter of the cost of new equipment or facilities, but neither foundation has committed to a specific amount.

Both say they arepreparing to launch a major fundraising drive to help defray costs, but neither is ready to set the 25 per cent contribution as its target.

Karen Mumford, senior director of the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Science Centre, said it's up to the foundations to determine how much they want to contribute.

Asked if it was feasible for the foundations to raise the money outlined in the cabinet document, Mumford responded: "I think it's too early to answer those questions."

Staff also recommended approval to proceedwith an exploration of various possible scenarios, including:

• a partnership with a private company
• constructing of a new ambulatory care centre on either the CBC property or the urban farm property adjacent to the Halifax Infirmary
• renovating or adding capacity toVeterans Memorial
• adding on to the Halifax Infirmary
• centralizing cancer care in the Dicksonbuilding at the Victoria General site
• locating appropriate services outside of Halifax

'Throwing good money after bad'

In the memo to cabinet, there's an indication of just how eagerdepartments housed in the Centennial building areto move out.

In a section devoted to flooding caused by a burst pipe in September 2015, the report notes,"The departments feel that replacing the specialized ICU infrastructure in the Centennial would be 'throwing good money after bad'given the limited lifespan of the building."

• Victoria General hospital flooding video released by health body

Officials went ahead with replacing the equipment and renovating the damaged space a decision that Mumford defends.

"From a short-term goal perspective and being able to reinstate those services, it made sense," she said.

Veterans Memorial hospital

The documents talkabout a "Halifax campus" thatincludes the possible renovation and use of theCamp HillVeterans Memorial building.

However, O'Connor said it remains to be seenwhere the hospital fits into the puzzle.

"Some of the initial planning thought there might be some more beds available in the Veteran's Memorial building, but that's yet to be determined. It'll be part of the overall master planning work."

The provincial government is paying a Toronto-based architecture firm $1.9 million to lead the planning process for the redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.

Kasian Architecture will take what's already been decided, studied or consideredto determine what the new hospital complex will look like and where services will be located. That work is expected to be completed by late next year.