The preparatory work which must lead to the future megacative of enlargement of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont (HMR) hospital should start shortly and at a lower cost than expected.
In an email exchange, the Quebec infrastructure company (SQI) confirms that it is finalizing the contract of granting the contract for the construction of a stored parking for [commencer] work in the coming weeks
.
To date, the SQI has received nine bids in a price range ranging from 37.5 million to 46.7 million dollars.
The SQI explains that it has managed to plan substantial financial savings
By optimizing the planned parking project.
The location initially provided for the construction of the stored parking lot has been revised to allow the conservation of an existing parking of several hundred places.
The initial plan, in 2022, aimed to build a stored parking of 1,500 places at a cost estimated at $ 125 million at the time. The plan revised in 2024 now provides 678 parking spaces and 76 boxes for bikes.
Work for stored parking is expected to get away over 18 months, until the spring of 2027.
A communications cascade is planned, both internally and external
underlines by email a spokesperson for the Ciusss de l’Est-de-l’île-de-Montréal.
As the CIUSSS public documents specify, the construction of a stored parking was necessary in order to move parking spaces where the future main pavilion will be built. The cost of this megachanter is estimated at more than $ 5 billion.
A first model of the future Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital.
Photo: Quebec infrastructure company.
In total, a minimum threshold of 2,600 parking spaces will be maintained on the site throughout the construction of the hospital, which is expected to go on over 10 years.
Additional underground parking which could count up to 1100 spaces is scheduled for the future main pavilion.
Political saga
The major reconstruction and enlargement project of the HMR had caused a stir in the spring when Minister Christian Dubé said he was sorry, with the solidarity deputy Vincent Marissal, not to be able to provide an answer about the start of the work of the vast project of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital.
I seriously thought that the “chip” [l’excavatrice, NDLR] could be [sur le terrain] From this year. That’s what I thought […] possible.
This uncertainty had aroused an unprecedented solidarity movement with hospital staff and politicians.
It was not until the end of the parliamentary session, in May, that the Minister of Health and his colleague Jonatan Julien, Minister responsible for infrastructure, confirmed the granting of around $ 90 million to launch the preparatory work in 2025.
Rosemont’s deputy, Vincent Marissal, is a spokesperson for Quebec Solidaire in terms of health.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Sylvain Roy Roussel
Difficult to retreat
For the solidarity critic in terms of health, Vincent Marissal, the imminent beginning of preparatory work constitutes Really good news, because that means that the proverbial chips will happen […]then it will be very very difficult to retreat later
.
In a year, we will be in an electoral campaign, so we will have to make sure that “chips follow the lips”
he adds.
Similar bell for the chairman of the User Committee of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, Patrick Cothenet.
Whatever the government after 2026, it will be difficult to say “no, we are still postponing four or five years”
M. Cothenet. All the leaders of the opposition party got their hands in the twist saying “Yes, it will be done, yes, we will continue it”, so it would be quite unwelcome to come back to their word at this time.
It’s really when I’m going to see the reconstruction of the hospital start. This is where I say: “Phew, we reached the goal.”
Meanwhile, the dilapidated hospital requires a considerable maintenance budget and is the subject of special attention from the Quebec Building Régie (RBQ).
