New complex construction supporting thousands of jobs
More than 85% of the workforce at the construction site for the new healthcare complex are from the local area.
Construction of the new healthcare facility in St. Catharines is providing a sizeable boost to the regional and Ontario economies by directly and indirectly supporting and creating thousands of jobs, many of which are located in the Niagara region.
“Skilled trades, subcontractors and suppliers from across the region are benefiting from this immense project, which at the peak of construction will boast approximately 750 workers on site each day,” says Mike Marasco, CEO of Plenary Health, the company overseeing the development and construction of the complex.
In addition to job creation at the construction site, there is an increased demand for restaurant meals, retail space and other related services in and around St. Catharines.
Where possible, local materials have been used to construct the building, and retail and other business opportunities linked to the new facility will be available to local entrepreneurs.
Investment brings opportunity
“Investment in a project of this magnitude brings real opportunity for the economic outlook of the area,” says NHS Chief Planning and Development Officer Gloria Kain.
“We’ve been blessed by an excellent working relationship with our project partners. Our general contractor PCL has been steadfastly committed to working with the local trades. It is due to this commitment that more than 85% of the workforce has been sourced from the local area.”
As an example, the mechanical contractor for the project, Sayers & Associates, has a significant presence and office in St. Catharines.
“In a hospital project, the mechanical costs account for a substantial amount of the total project costs,” says Mike.
Along with positions to support new regional services to be offered at the site, the complex will have a positive impact on recruiting family doctors, specialist physicians, nurses and allied health professionals to Niagara.
The new complex, which replaces the aging St. Catharines General and Ontario Street sites in St. Catharines, is on budget and on schedule to open in spring of 2013.
In addition to serving as an acute care hospital for St. Catharines, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake and surrounding area, the new health complex will house new regional services, including comprehensive cancer care at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, longer-term mental health and cardiac care services. «
Since the spring of 2009, we have:
- Moved 12,000 truckloads of dirt
- Moved 5,700 loads of concrete to the site which is enough to pave a 6” thick and 5’ wide sidewalk from the site to Peterborough
- Worked with 5,000 tons or 12 million pounds of reinforced steel which is equivalent to 1.2 million – 10 pound bags of potatoes
- Installed 280 miles of electrical conduit (in concrete and surface mounted) which is enough conduit to run end to end from the site to Sudbury
- Produced more than 60,000 square feet of precast concrete
- Had 1,700 tons of structural steel in fabrication
- Installed more than 4,000 mechanical pipe sleeves in concrete
Interesting construction facts
- Construction is 50% complete; the design is complete
- Cranes used to service the site were dismantled at the end of 2010
- Temporary building heat allows work to continue through the winter
- About 540 workers are currently on site daily with more than 840,000 man hours worked
- The exterior of the building (known as the building envelope) will be complete in May 2011
- Substantial completion (when construction is complete) is on target for November 2012
- Following training and orientation, the new health complex will open for care in the spring of 2013
