Ontario government confirms $633M in funding toward CAMH hospital redevelopment

TORONTO—A project by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to overhaul two mental health facilitates in downtown Toronto has received a leg up from the province.

Premier Doug Ford confirmed $633 million in funding Jan. 30 towards the redevelopment of the facilities located at Queen Street West and Ossington in downtown Toronto.

The Crisis and Critical Care Building will include emergency mental health care, specialized clinics and 125 inpatient beds, while the McCain Complex Care and Recovery Centre will include 110 beds, specialized programs and services, and a space for research and education.

Nearly 13 years after shovels first hit the ground, the project reached a major milestone in December, with the topping off of the two structures by contractor PCL Construction. The first of four tower cranes standing about 70 metres above street level were dissembled Feb. 2, all of which have been in use since March 2018.

In 2019, CAMH said the focus will shift to the building envelope, including brick work, water proofing and insulation. Slated for completion by mid-2020, the two new hospital buildings will add approximately 600,000 square feet of new space.

The province also announced that it will provide the centre with more than $3.7 million to upgrade existing facilities.

“Infrastructure is for the people. It’s about more than bricks and mortar; it’s also about mental and physical health,” Ontario Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton said. “The CAMH redevelopment is an example of our commitment to investing in the right infrastructure, at the right time and in the right place, in order to improve the lives of all Ontarians.”