B.C. approves health research centre construction at new St. Paul's Hospital

British Columbia's provincial government says it is going ahead with the construction of a $638-million "state-of-the-art'' research centre at the new St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver.

Premier David Eby said at a news conference after touring the construction progress at the new hospital that the province has approved the business plan and funding for the new research facility.

The research centre will be built directly adjacent to the new hospital and reach roughly 34,000 square metres in size.

The province says the centre will also include emerging technology infrastructure such as 3D bio-printing to support medical and health research conducted at the facility.

The cost of construction will be shared by the province, which will contribute about $332 million, Providence Health Care, the St. Paul's Foundation and ChildCare B.C.'s New Spaces Program.

The province says it hopes the research centre will act "as a cornerstone'' for B.C.'s hub for life-sciences research in Vancouver's False Creek Flats neighbourhood as it attracts scientists and industry players to deliver care and innovation.