Hospital properties sold ...

North Bay Regional Health Centre
News Release

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The NBRHC Board of Directors has accepted an offer of purchase for the Scollard and McLaren sites of the former North Bay General Hospital. The Board is now awaiting approval from the North East Local Health Integrated Network (NE LHIN) and the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) to proceed with closing the sale.

“We are pleased to have an offer in place after being on the market for over 13 months,” stated NBRHC Board Chair, Phil Geden. “We are equally pleased to have accepted the offer from a group of developers from northern Ontario working together as 2199255 Ontario Limited,” added Geden. “The Board is hoping to receive approval of the sale from the Ministry and the LHIN as quickly as possible.”

“Use of these properties falls under City bylaws and regulations and any possible changes to the zoning of these institutional properties will need to follow the City’s process for approval,” stated Geden.

The purchasers plan to proceed quickly with the demolition of the main hospital buildings and move forward with development of the properties with projects that will complement the neighbourhood; of particular interest is an assisted living centre.

The developers expressed interest in the property in September and made an offer to purchase in mid-November for $5000.

“While selling these properties for $5000 sounds like a small amount, we actually budgeted to break even on the sale of the properties,” explained NBRHC President and CEO, Mark Hurst. “So this offer, along with the earlier sale of the Nipissing Building and Cooper House, means the hospital is ahead by over $1M on the sale of all of the former hospital properties,” he added.

If the sale did not go through, the hospital would have to begin the process of demolishing the buildings at a possible cost of between $3M and $4M; money it would rather have to spend on patient care. If the sale is approved, the hospital also saves over $1M annually—the cost of providing security, insurance and minimal heating of the buildings.

The Nipissing Building at 685 Bloem Street and the Cooper House at 753 McLaren were sold in November to Eastview Development Ltd.

The North Bay properties used by the former Northeast Mental Health Centre belong to the Government of Ontario and fall under the responsibility of the Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation.

For further information about the North Bay Regional Health Centre visit our website at www.nbrhc.on.ca

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