2 groups make shortlist to build new Corner Brook hospital

Two groups are in the runningfor the bid to build the new hospital in Corner Brook, Premier Dwight Ball announced Thursday.

Ball said AtlanticHealthcare Partnership and Corner Brook Health Partnershippassed the request for qualifications process, which vetted the groups'ability to pull off such a project, and will now moveon to the next stage. Ball said both groups will soon receive theRequest for Proposal(RFP) documents and willsubmit a full project proposal in the coming months.

"We've already been through a mechanism in terms of a selection of those that are actually qualified their financial ability to do so, to design, build and maintain those buildings," said Ball.

"The work will continue now for the rest of this year to the point where we will actually put in place the successful proponent and get work started in 2019."

Ball said the successful bidder will be announced by next spring, while work on the 164-bed acute care hospitalis set to be completed by 2023.

• Corner Brook's long-term care centre to open in 2020, funded by public-private partnership

• Long-term care centre $14M cheaper under public-private partnership, says premier

Constructionis underway forthe new 145 bed long-term care home, adjacent to the new hospital site. The first shipment of steel is expected to arrive for that projectthis week.

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