QEII redevelopment tender includes possibility of a new hospital

Nova Scotia's health authority issued a tender on Thursday for master planning services as part of the continued redevelopment of the QEII Health Sciences Centre, work that could include the development of a new hospital building.

The tender calls for project management and architectural services for further redevelopment of buildings on the campus that includes the Halifax Infirmary and the series of buildings around the Victoria General Hospital.

The work would also include, "if deemed required by Nova Scotia Health and the province, the development of an additional QEII site (location yet to be determined)," according to the tender.

The initial term of the agreement would be for two years, with the health authority having the ability to extend it for an additional year. Submissions are due by May 15.

"The objective of this RFP [request for proposal] is to establish a multi-site master plan, resulting in a clear understanding of specific projects that addresses failing/inadequate infrastructure and the changing health care needs of the local community and beyond," tender documents say.

The master planning work is to be delivered in two parts, the first by December and the second by Nov. 1, 2026.

The winning bidder will be tasked with an extensive amount of planning that runs the gamut of services provided by the QEII, including: ambulatory care and outpatient clinics; minor procedures and endoscopy; biomedical engineering; cancer care; critical care unit; diagnostic imaging; environmental services; facilities management; heart health; laboratory services; medical device reprocessing; medical/surgical/rehabilitation/mental health inpatients; morgue; nutrition and food services; pharmacy; regional tissue bank; security services; supply chain logistics; and volunteer services.

The work also includes a technical building assessment, "which would evaluate and report on the physical condition of the facility, including below-grade tunnels, in order to determine if it has value for future use or requires replacement at a future date." The assessment will also consider the implications of deferring capital investment.

In considering the options for development, the report must include: existing facility building constraints; new physical plant requirements; parking demand and transportation impact studies.

If the province and health authority determine that master planning for an additional QEII site is needed, that work would require a site selection and land assessment report and a master plan report.

A former Liberal government started the redevelopment process in 2015, but Premier Tim Houston announced an overhauled version in late 2022 because the Liberal plan could no longer accommodate the population explosion the province experienced following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Progressive Conservative government signed a long-awaited contract earlier this year for the first phase of the Halifax Infirmary redevelopment, work that includes a 14-storey acute care tower with patient beds and operating theatres, an intensive care unit and a new emergency department.

The $7.4-billion deal includes construction costs and the operation and maintenance of the site for 30 years.

Meanwhile, the life of the Victoria General Hospital continues to be extended until the redevelopment work can be completed. The ailing site has a litany of issues, including water that is not safe for drinking and elevators that do not work.