Two contractors selected to bid on future Kamloops cancer centre

After years of challenges and incremental progress, the provincial government is moving along in the process for building a new cancer treatment centre in Kamloops. The BC government has accepted submissions for two companies to make a proposal for the new centre at Royal Inland Hospital, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health issued today, June 17. “Four months ago, we said the short list of the request for qualifications for the new Kamloops cancer centre would be ready in June and it is,” Minister of Health Adrian Dix said in the release. “I’m pleased that the procurement phase for this project is proceeding to the next stage and people in Kamloops and Thompson Cariboo area will be one step closer to having cutting-edge, comprehensive cancer care and treatment that’s close to home.” EllisDon Corporation and PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. are the two companies that will submit their proposals for the estimated $359 million treatment centre. BC Cancer and Interior Health will evaluate the proposals, choose the design-build team and construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2025. READ MORE:Why we really need you to sign up to our newsletter https://infotel.ca/opinion/jonesie/jonesie-how-canadian-news-became-victims-in-its-own-story/it105120 “As we move through the procurement process for the new Kamloops cancer centre, we are another step closer to starting construction,” president and CEO of Interior Health Susan Brown said in the release. “Together with BC Cancer, we are looking forward to bringing expanded cancer services to patients and their families in a new modern space.” This step forward has come after years of waiting. The new centre was originally pitched in 2020. "The easiest way to put it is we're not a priority," Thompson Regional Hospital District board chair Mike O'Reilly said back in January. The centre is going to be a five-storey building on the Westlands site on the hospital grounds. READ MORE: 'We're not a priority': Province mum on promised Kamloops cancer centre https://infotel.ca/newsitem/were-not-a-priority-province-mum-on-promised-kamloops-cancer-centre/it102578 The treatment centre will be outfitted for radiation treatment, radiation-therapy planning, including a CT simulator, an outpatient ambulatory-care unit, including 10 exam rooms, and two consultation rooms for radiation-therapy services, an additional MRI suite, and patient arrival and check-in areas. There are plans to include a new 470 stall parkade as part of the centre. “Today marks an important step forward in enhancing cancer services in the region,” BC Cancer’s executive vice-president and chief medical officer Dr. Kim Nguyen Chi said in the release. “The new BC Cancer centre at Royal Inland Hospital will provide high-quality, accessible, and life-saving care to patients facing cancer, and uphold our commitment to Indigenous cultural safety.” Some cancer treatments are available locally, but Kamloops residents have to travel to Kelowna for radiation treatment. These plans are part of the province’s 10-year BC Cancer Action Plan to improve cancer treatment around B.C. “Our government has made unprecedented investments to expand cancer services across the province to meet the increased demand as the population grows and ages rapidly and more people will be diagnosed with cancer,” Dix said. To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas mailto:jtomas@infonews.ca  or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .