Full commissioning of the new CHU de Québec-Université Laval hospital complex will not occur until November 2029, four years later than originally planned.
A number of factors explain this Treasury Board-approved deferral, which comes with an increase in costs.
The final part of the project, carried out on the site of the current Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, will not be delivered in December 2025 as planned.
“But until then, there are still several commissionings to come. We have already delivered the Integrated Cancer Center and the technical buildings. We have the critical care building that is also being delivered,” said Jean-Thomas Grantham, spokesman for the CHU de Québec.
Photo Diane Tremblay
Jean-Thomas Grantham, spokesman for CHU de Québec-Université Laval.
This shift is explained by changes in parameters made since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as a major refurbishment of existing buildings.
Almost a third of the Enfant-Jésus Hospital will be completely renovated.
The commissioning of the intensive care pavilion with 700 beds, 30 operating rooms and 60 stretchers in the emergency room has also been delayed.
CHU de Québec aims to be able to offer patient care by 2027. Originally, the construction of this long-awaited pavilion was supposed to end in December 2023.
cost increase
Project costs increase from US$1.9 billion to US$2.2 billion, an increase of US$271 million.
“There was the pandemic, which had a big impact,” says Mr. Grantham.
The closure of the borders, the seven-week shutdown of the construction site and the difficulties with procurement [d’équipement] represent so many obstacles that managers have had to face. The background was the overheating of the construction industry in Quebec.
Despite the difficulties encountered, the pandemic has also led to solutions, according to Mr Grantham.
For example, the intensive care pavilion will be adapted for a future pandemic, he says, which also explains the increased costs.
“We checked the plans […]. We checked the ventilation. We made sure we have negative pressure rooms,” he said.
“This is the first hospital built in Quebec with a future pandemic in mind,” adds the spokesperson.
A larger part of the Enfant-Jésus-Hospital is also being rebuilt to meet the needs.
Declining self-financing
“We are talking about another 5,600 square meters that will be renovated in the hospital. So there is a part of the envelope that is used to do this restructuring. »
Mr. Grantham assures that this shift in schedule will have no impact on patient services as activities at Enfant-Jésus and Hôtel-Dieu de Québec are maintained.
“Therefore, there is no significant impact on customers as the services continue. »
The partners’ contribution to the project increases from $78 million to $74 million. The self-financing portion was revised with the new parking fee schedule, which now provides for two free hours. The CHU Foundation’s contribution remains at $60 million.
Appointments to remember
- 2013: The PQ government announces its intention to cancel the project to expand the Hôtel-Dieu to bring it to the site of the Infant Jesus.
- 2017: Start of work phase 1 (Integrated Cancer Center).
- 2018: Confirmation of the completion of the entire project (with the intensive care pavilion).
- May 2022: Opening of the Integrated Cancer Center.
- July 2022: Change of the date of full commissioning. Originally scheduled for December 2025, it was pushed back to November 2029.
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