Capital Plan Development Task Force #27

The Capital Plan Development Task Force met on March 4.

The Task Force received an update on the community engagement plan for presenting the building design options to the public. Task Force members provided feedback on the community presentation that was given at each of the six information sessions the week of March 4-8. Members were encouraged to attend sessions as schedules would allow to represent the Task Force and speak to community members at the poster boards stations for each of the five building design options. MAHC engaged nearly 400 people with information sessions and questions asked were insightful. All materials from the information sessions are on the MAHC website at bit.ly/2BCK28B. The Task Force supported development of a video series to help explain the options and how to provide feedback in hopes of reaching those who did not attend. The feedback survey will remain open until March 24 and can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MAHCfuture.

The Task Force was informed about the Ford government’s recent announcement regarding health care restructuring, and was advised that the Ministry direction to MAHC is to continue through the future planning work on the Stage 1 Proposal.

The Task Force received the preliminary construction cost estimates for the building design options. The Task Force was reminded that furniture, fixtures and equipment, and other items such as land acquisition or servicing of land (if necessary) are not considered in the construction costs. The Task Force understood that the estimates are directional and are intended to provide a potential order of magnitude to assist Task Force members in comparing the relative differences and in evaluating the options. Additional work to refine the costs is anticipated for the preferred options in line with considerations of potential phasing of redevelopment projects, for example.

The Task Force considered the criteria it will use to evaluate the options. The draft criteria reflects qualitative criteria utilizing the approved Design Guiding Principles, and quantitative criteria including costs, approvals, construction duration and phasing, and community feedback.

The next Task Force meeting is April 8, 2019.