The NDP government has promised that Foothills Hospital will house the new cancer centre for the City of Calgary, sticking with the initial plan made nearly ten years ago.
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman made the announcement on Wednesday, also saying that the final location for the new facility has come down to two ideas, but they are both at the Foothills Medical Centre in southwest Calgary.
The final proposed site will depend on further analysis, including geotechnical testing.
Hoffman said the decision by the government hopefully shows Albertans they are working for them. “Cancer patients, their families and their caregivers deserve certainty that this government is committed to the Calgary Cancer Centre. We want them to know that we are there for them and that we are moving forward with the Foothills Medical Centre site. With cancer rates expected to rise in Alberta by as much as 60 per cent in the next 15 years, this new centre will be integral to meeting cancer care needs in our province.”
The new centre will include a number of new and expanded services such as:
- addtional inpatient beds
- outpatient services
- radiation therapy
- systemic therapy (i.e. chemotherapy)
The proposal comes in response to a promise made by Rachel Notley during this year’s election campaign.
She pledged to complete the cancer centre at the Foothills Medical Centre, regardless of the cost.
The PC government planned to build the new facility at the hospital to help ease the pressure on the Tom Baker Centre, but was forced to rethink the plan due to a budget shortfall.
Their revised plan was to build a scaled down facility at the new South Health Campus in southeast Calgary, much to the disappointment of many cancer patients who saw the added trip as another burden.
As for the NDP's plan, project planning is underway and further details, including a timeline and budget, are likely to be released in the fall.
