Minister Hoskins celebrates redevelopment milestone at CAMH sign unveiling

Minister Hoskins celebrates redevelopment
milestone at CAMH sign unveiling

TORONTO, September 7, 2016 – Earlier today. CAMH President and CEO Dr. Catherine Zahn welcomed Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to CAMH to celebrate a milestone in the third phase our Queen Street Redevelopment Project.

Today marks the close of request for proposals for shortlisted teams to submit bids to design, build, finance and maintain two new CAMH buildings on Queen Street West. Infrastructure Ontario and CAMH will evaluate the proposals, and the winning team is expected to be announced by early 2017, with construction scheduled to follow shortly thereafter.

“We’re really excited to have reached today’s milestone – to begin the process of choosing our partner for the third phase in our redevelopment journey,” said Dr. Zahn. “This next phase of redevelopment is about continuing to tear down walls and stigmas surrounding mental health. It’s about advancing our patient-centred care and opening our doors even wider to the community.”

Phase 1C, the third stage of the Redevelopment Project, is focused on patients with complex mental illness and includes two new clinical buildings that will house CAMH inpatient, outpatient, research, education and public programs. It also includes the eventual extension of Stokes Street and improvement of Shaw Park.

In his remarks, Minister Hoskins applauded CAMH for its continued leadership and innovation in mental health and addiction care. He expressed the importance for government to place priority on improving care for Ontarians. “The CAMH redevelopment project is a great example of our government’s commitment to building state-of-the-art health care facilities, expanding access to mental health and addictions services for people in Ontario,” he said.

CAMH Peer Support Worker George Mihalakakos, echoed Minister Hoskins’ sentiments. “Some of the public conception of mental health has been less than flattering, and the older hospital buildings seemed to reflect that too—out-of-date spaces that tended to lack respect for people experiencing the most difficult time of their lives.  The new CAMH buildings, designed collaboratively with input from clients, families, staff and other experts, recognize these issues, and focus on providing dignified and respectful spaces where patients have more choices, more control, more independence and hope.”

Learn more about CAMH’s innovative consultation process that included planners, architects, frontline staff, and most importantly, patients and their families in the design of clinical spaces.​​