He’s both Mayor of Quesnel and Chair of the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District and equally pleased with Northern Health’s recent announcement.
Bob Simpson explained what the Phase Two construction on the G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit redevelopment means to the City
“Improvements to Healthcare, having a full-service hospital, being able to improve both the Emergency and the Intensive Care Unit is a real shot in the arm for the entire healthcare delivery model in our community and a real attractor for people who are making the decision on where they want to live and spend their time.”
Simpson added any time they can improve service delivery in any of the City’s Public Service areas it just makes the community more resilient and more inviting to people that we’re trying to get to come work here or to retire in.
As Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District Chair, Simpson said its a project similar to Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake that has been talked about for years. As a Regional Hospital District, they based their financial plan on this project preceding but of course, the ultimate decision had to be made by the Province which it has.
“We’re thrilled to have done the kind of work that we needed to do to make sure that our ratepayer is forty percent is there to make the project possible, so I think it’s exciting for everybody and it’s great for our local property ratepayers to be able to be a contributing partner in this new addition to the Hospital.”
Simpson added True Construction of Kamloops that won the contract originated in Quesnel. The previous owner is a Quesnel person so there is a home connection to it. The Contractor will be working with Sub-Contractors who are based in Quesnel and there will be opportunities for individuals living in the City to work.