Nearly a decade after the Tom Baker Cancer Centre reached capacity; Premier Alison Redford has announced plans to build a new cancer centre in Calgary.
The new facility willl be located on the grounds of the Foothills Medical Centre and carries an estimated price tag of $1.2 billion. The centre will be built in partnership with the Alberta Cancer Foundation which has committed $200M to the project.
"Our foundation is very proud to be a partner in building a new cancer centre in Calgary," said John Osler, Chair of the Alberta Cancer Foundation's Board of Trustees. "Our commitment to raising $200 million is a commitment to a cancer-free future. Over 200,000 Albertans support our foundation, and last year alone we raised $37 million.”
“We know the need for cancer care will continue to grow, and we need a facility to increase capacity and improve patient care,” says Premier Alison Redford. “This state-of-the-art facility will be a hub for cancer care for Calgary and southern Alberta.”
The announcement follows years of lobbying by doctors and patients and promises from the government to build a new centre. In 2005, Premier Ralph Klein stated a new centre was a priority project, but plans never materialized. A 2010 provincial government report contained another promise of expansion of the Tom Baker Cancer Centre by 2020.
The new centre is set to include advanced diganostic and treatment facilities, outpatient facilities providing cancer care, and research space.
“A new centre will help us better treat the growing number of patients cared for by our cancer doctors, nurses and support staff, and allow them to focus their energies on patient care, treatment and research,” says Alberta Health Services President and CEO Dr. Chris Eagle. “This is a positive step for cancer treatment in Calgary and southern Alberta. It will ease the burden on patients and those at the frontline of cancer care.”
Construction is expected to begin in 2015 or 2016. The new cancer centre is slated to open in 2017.
The Tom Baker Centre will continue to provide cancer care until the new centre is opened, at which time the current centre will be used as additional clinical service space for the Foothills Medical Centre. The Tom Baker Cancer Centre was established in 1958 and is considered to be the province's leading centre for cancer research, treatment, and prevention.
