The Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital wants to move to new facilities on the grounds of the current McGill Health Centre. He is asking for financial support from Quebec to build a complex that might cost up to $700 million, making it one of the largest hospital projects in the province, learned The duty.
© Matt York The Associated Press
The Neuro is asking for financial support from Quebec.
The Neuro, which brings together the Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute—institutions under the jurisdiction of McGill University—has taken steps with the Government of Quebec to obtain a grant that would allow it to build and develop new facilities on land of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC), along Décarie Boulevard. The objective is to move there in the next few years.
The estimated cost of the project is between $650 million and $700 million, confirmed to duty a representative of The Neuro, also declining an interview on this subject. The institution hopes to be able to register its project soon for the Quebec Infrastructure Program, which is used to plan long-term investments.
The lack of space in the Neurological Institute-Hospital is at the origin of the desire to move to a building that would allow it to accommodate more patients. The aging of the population, among other things, has led to an increase in brain ailments over the years. These now represent 35% of the disease burden, according to data provided by the Neuro.
The Neurological Institute, an internationally recognized research center, for its part hopes to intensify research in developing neuroscience plus, among other things, biomedical sciences and technologies related to big data (Big Data).
The Neuro would thus be resuming a move project that has been aborted in recent years. In 2012, the management of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC) announced its intention to relocate the Neuro to the Glen Station grounds where the MUHC was then under construction. Construction and fit-out costs were not disclosed.
At the time, management planned to start construction in 2015, spread it over 40 months in order to welcome the first patients in 2019. Before being put on ice, a moving plan had been presented to the Ministry of Health and the Montreal Health and Social Services Agency.
Created in 1934 by Dr. Wilder Penfield, a leading neuroscientist, the current Neuro is located near the campus of McGill University. Over the decades, the institution has welcomed scientists who have made major discoveries that have advanced knowledge in neuroscience.
