Investment Director for John Laing in Canada, James Bennett commented: "We are excited about delivering this important project, along with our consortium members Bilfinger Berger, Graham Construction, Stantec and Black & Macdonald. The consortium is delighted to be involved in the development of these facilities, enabling the provision of outstanding health care facilities for the Okanagan region.”

At Kelowna General Hospital, the project will provide a new patient care tower including a new emergency department, general clinics area, surgical services, short-stay beds, renal services, and diagnostic services for outpatients including cardiology, respiratory, neuro-diagnostics, a satellite lab collection station and satellite diagnostic imaging. It will be linked to the existing hospital, and include a rooftop helipad, as well as shelled-in space for future expansion. In addition, the project provides new accommodation for the University of British Columbia Medical School, which enables Kelowna General Hospital to become a clinical academic campus.

At Vernon Jubilee hospital, a new diagnostic and treatment building located next to the existing facility will provide ambulatory care services and day surgery, emergency department services, surgical services, intensive care, cardiac care, maternity and paediatric services. It will also include shelled-in space for future expansion.

The value of the project aggregates CDN$432.5 million. Construction  is scheduled to begin in the fall of this year, and the entire project completed in 2012.

This success is an important step forward for John Laing's international expansion strategy and focus on the Canadian marketplace.  It builds on the success of the 2007 acquisitions of Abbotsford and Vancouver health care projects, also in British Columbia.