The Government of Saskatchewan held all-day information sessions about the Victoria Hospital Project on Thursday at the Coronet Hotel, where local contractors, suppliers, and businesses had a chance to meet the construction team behind the build and make connections.

To keep the project as local as possible, PCL Construction is looking to enhance their knowledge of what services are available in the community for when they are needed during development. One-on-one meetings as well a general information session allowed the construction team to introduce themselves, build relationships with local companies and update their contact list.

The scope of services that will be required for the project include accommodations for up to 600 people, food and beverage catering for the day-to-day, administration materials and supplies, equipment rentals, and the hiring of local contractors and labourers.

The Victoria Hospital Project is currently around halfway through the Design Early Works Stage, with some construction activity and site preparation already begun. A geotechnical investigation of the area, which includes scans of the existing hospital, is now completed. The next steps are the relocation of SaskPower services and construction of the new parking lot in July.

July marks an important time period for the project, as this is when PCL will submit their first design bid to SaskBuilds. In order to prepare the design and set a price, PCL must reach out to Prince Albert and area companies to find the costs of materials, lumber, and concrete at a local level.

If the Province deems the bid to be an acceptable price, construction of the new acute care tower, renovations to the current facility, and replacement of the existing adult mental health space will start immediately.