Saskatchewan’s first P3 project completed on-time and on-budget
By P3
Construction Infrastructure health care long-term care P3Construction of a new regional long-term care facility located in Swift Current known as “The Meadows” is complete, on-time and on-budget. Premier Brad Wall was on hand May 2, as builders officially handed keys over to the Cypress Health Region, who own and will operate the facility.
“Long-term care residents in Swift Current and area present and future now have an outstanding new facility to call home,” Wall said. “The Meadows together with the excellent team of professionals that will work here will ensure we are offering the best long-term care possible.”
Using a public-private-partnership, or P3 model saved $16 million compared to what the project would have cost using traditional procurement models. The Meadows will provide 225 long-term care beds in a single community for seniors, compared to the 198 beds provided previously by three facilities, and employ an additional 79 full-time equivalents. The Meadows was designed with the involvement of staff, patients and families.
Construction of the 227,000-sq.-ft. facility, recently named The Meadows by the board of the Cypress Health Region, was built with majority Saskatchewan participation and created an estimated 500 jobs in the province. Thirty-two Saskatchewan businesses were involved the project, making up 72 per cent of all business involved. Ten were from Swift Current.
“I congratulate everyone who contributed their expertise to this project talent,” Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce CEO Clayton Wicks said. “From surveying to the masonry, The Meadows is an exhibit of Saskatchewan. That’s the value in having so many Swift Current companies involved. We worked knowing The Meadows will be home to people we care about.”
The design and construction phase was monitored throughout the combined design and construction phase by SSA Quantity Surveyors Ltd., an independent expert certifier responsible for verifying and certifying the work was completed as required in the project agreement.
The health region will now begin furnishing the homes, familiarizing staff to the new facility and moving in residents. A formal grand opening is expected in the coming weeks. Additional fundraising for furnishings will be led by the Dr. Noble Irwin Healthcare Foundation.