The Prince Albert Parkland Regional Health Authority is requesting that the City of Prince Albert commit to funding its entire portion of the local share of funding for the Pineview Terrace Lodge replacement project.
The request was made in a motion during the regular board meeting Dec. 14 in Prince Albert.
"We appreciate the previous commitments from the City of Prince Albert of the former Holy Family Hospital Trust Fund, as well as a $1 million contribution," said Gord Dobrowolsky, chairperson of the RHA board of directors. "However, the region's attempts to seek large donors to contribute the remaining amount of about $1 million have not been successful. It is vital that we get a commitment from the City of Prince Albert to ensure we can tender quickly and hopefully avoid any significant increases in the cost of the project."
The overall local share of $4,443,500 is 20 per cent of the total cost of the project. The remaining 80 per cent of the project's costs are being provided by the provincial government. The Prince Albert Parkland Regional Health Authority has requested the municipal partners involved in the former Northern Housing Development Corporation to fund the local share based on population (Statistics Canada 2006 Census).
"This project will allow us to increase capacity, improve quality of life, and improve resident and staff safety," Dobrowolsky said. "It is an important project to address the needs of some of the most vulnerable people in our community, and to keep them as close to home and their families as possible."
While the region has requested that the local share for the project costs be provided by municipal governments, the region will not be asking the municipalities for funding to purchase furnishings and equipment that are not covered under the provincial-local share funding. That funding, estimated at close to $1 million, will be sought from other sources.
