B.C.’s Health Minister says plans to build the long-promised Kamloops Cancer Care Centre have taken another step forward with the selection of two companies who will take part in the request for proposals (RFP) stage.

Adrian Dix says Interior Health and BC Cancer will now be working with EllisDon Corporation and PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc., who will each spend the next year coming up with their vision for the facility at Royal Inland Hospital.

“We’ve got two qualified bidders for the Kamloops Cancer Centre, two excellent bidders, both of whom have been involved in major construction projects around the province,” Dix said Monday.

Construction is still expected to begin next summer, not long after the winning bidder is chosen, Dix said.

“We’re really pleased that they’re both bidding on this cancer centre and all the things associated with it, including the parkade,” he said.

“We went though the qualifications process, and these are the two of the companies with the most of experience in building healthcare facilities, so I’m not surprised they’re on the list. I’m pleased they’re on the list and now we proceed to the next phase.”

Dix says the announcement shows the province is still on track to build the long-promised facility by 2028.

“Sometimes I think when people have wanted something for a long time, we want to at every stage let people know the progress we’re making, and in this case, what we said is happening, is happening,” Dix added.

“We’ve got shortlisted people for the bids and now we’re proceeding to the RFP stage and the selection of the company that is going to build our new Kamloops Cancer Care Centre.”

Issues with regional hospital district ‘worked out,’ Dix says

The new five-storey facility – with three linear accelerator vaults – will be built on the Westlands site at RIH, with space for radiation treatment; radiation-therapy planning, including a CT Simulator; an outpatient ambulatory-care unit, including 10 exam rooms; and two consultation rooms for radiation-therapy services; an additional MRI suite; and patient arrival and check-in areas.

A new 470-stall parkade will also be built “on the top level” of the facility, with the project also set to include upgrades to expand existing cancer care services at RIH, including an expanded pharmacy as well as the relocation and expansion of the Community Oncology Network clinic from the eighth floor to the main floor.

The total project comes with a budget of $359 million, which is being split between the provincial government, Interior Health, and Thompson Regional Hospital District.

“There are contributions from the BC Cancer Foundation and the Royal Inland foundation may be contributing to some of the non-cancer related parts of this project but the province is the main funder of this project, “Dix said. “We’re funding the cancer centre and then for additional stuff the hospital district is contributing and we’re pleased with that.”

In March, the TRHD voted to contribute just over $45 million towards the project and not the $51.6 million that it was asked for, but Dix said the Province has “worked these issues out with the hospital district.”

“That an interesting challenge always but one which we’ve worked out,” he said.

“The province is taking more of a shared risk than they would if this was a regional hospital district initiative like the Royal Inland tower, but there is a contribution from the hospital district because this isn’t just the cancer centre announcement.”

Dix also said he felt the Province is “on the right track” when asked if the Kamloops Cancer Centre will be built on budget, following revelations that the Richmond Hospital redevelopment will cost $1.96 billion – $1.1 billion higher than what was forecast in the original 2020 business plan.

“We have bidding processes and in case of all of our healthcare facilities we’ve seen, you’ve seen this in private sector and public construction, significant inflation and that is reflected in these projects that we’ve seen,” Dix said.

“We are proceeding, we are building the hospitals we need for the next 50 or 60 years. The cost is significant, but also the priority is significant as well. And I think what it does, as in Kamloops, is it increases our ability to recruit, as well.”

In a statement, Dr. Kim Nguyen Chi, the Executive Vice-President and Chief Medical Officer at BC Cancer said the selection of the two companies marks “an important step forward” in enhancing cancer services in the Kamloops area.

“The new BC Cancer centre at Royal Inland Hospital will provide high-quality, accessible, and life-saving care to patients facing cancer, and uphold our commitment to Indigenous cultural safety,” he said.

“As we move through the procurement process for the new Kamloops cancer centre, we are another step closer to starting construction,” added Interior Health President and CEO, Susan Brown.

“Together with BC Cancer, we are looking forward to bringing expanded cancer services to patients and their families in a new modern space.”