BY KEITH LACEY
The provincial government is expected to make a funding announcement to complete capital construction at the one-site Sudbury Regional Hospital shortly.
?I?m very hopeful we?ll have good news within the next two or three weeks,? said Graham Scott, appointed by the provincial government as the supervisor for Sudbury Regional Hospital in early February.
Scott was appointed by the Tory government to supervise hospital administration in an attempt to reduce annual operating deficits and review all spending on capital construction overexpenditures.
Capital construction on the expansion to a one-site superhospital stopped almost two years ago when costs increased from an original estimate of $80 million to more than $360 million.
The provincial government has made it clear they?re not willing to release any more money for this project until it?s satisfied hospital administrators have their financial house in order, said Scott.
?The government has be to satisfied this hospital is headed in the direction of financial stability,? he said.
?There were a whole number of problems with Phase I of construction?the province wants to be convinced it should go ahead with Phase II without having to worry about any more dramatic cost overruns.?
Because construction has been halted for so long, the size and scope of Phase II has changed. The province wanted detailed reports on all construction activity needed for the next phase before agreeing to hand out any more money, said Scott.
?The final proposal has been made in relation to Phase II?we?re hopeful we?ll get a decision from the government very soon.?
Scott said the estimated figure of $150 million to complete all capital costs on the one-site hospital is what he?s expecting from the province.
Since he?s been hired, Scott said hospital administration has worked hard and diligently to reduce operating costs and ensure the provincial target of balancing the hospital?s books by 2007 becomes a reality.
If the provincial funding announcement does come as expected in the next two or three weeks, it means Sudbury?s one-site hospital won?t be finished construction until 2006 or 2007.
Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci said he?s also hopeful the province will be making a funding announcement soon, and he?s applying political pressure to ensure it happens.
Bartolucci said he?s sent information to 85 community partners, asking them to send a message to the Tory government to make the funding announcement sooner rather than later.
