By Doug Sweet
The Quebec government will help support a feasibility study to examine McGill’s proposal to develop the soon-to-be-vacant Royal Victoria Hospital into modern academic and research space, a forum on major Montreal projects was told Friday.
Robert Poëti, Minister of Transport and Minister for the Montreal Region, told the forum sponsored by the Chambre de Commerce du Montréal Métropolitain/Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, that the government will work with McGill to launch what is expected to be a $8-million, year-long study of a project that could cost about $800 million by the time it’s completed in 2021-22, coinciding with McGill’s 200th anniversary. The government will contribute $4 million to the study, while McGill will contribute the remaining amount.
Principal Suzanne Fortier and Olivier Marcil, Vice-Principal (Communications and External Relations) presented the project to the forum first thing Friday morning and showed a video (see below) outlining McGill’s vision for the old hospital’s future use.
Prof. Fortier said McGill’s project, which would use about 700,000 square feet of space, is vital for a university suffering a substantial space deficit. As well, she said, McGill and the Vic share considerable history and the location is a natural extension of the University’s downtown campus.
Read more in the McGill Reporter.