Press release
It is imperative that we keep the Shriners Hospital Canada in Montreal
Montreal, April 20, 2005 On behalf of its members, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal deplores the recommendation of the board of directors of the Shrine of North America that London, Ontario, be chosen as the home of the Shriners' new pediatric orthopaedic hospital and stresses the importance of keeping this expertise in Montreal.
If a definitive decision has not yet been made, it is vital and urgent to make every possible effort to keep the Shriners Hospital Canada in Montreal. We therefore support the heads of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, and Montreal's Karnak Shrine Temple in their determination to have this proposal rejected at the Shriners' Imperial Session next July, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and chief executive officer of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Building the Shriners Hospital Canada in London would deprive our metropolis not only of a major $100 million investment and a state-of-the-art orthopaedic facility but also of a first-class asset in terms of expertise and talent. The construction of their new building near the McGill University Health Centre would certainly help consolidate Montreal's reputation as a centre of excellence for health care and research. This is all the more true since the new building would benefit from the synergy created with one of the best medical faculties in the world and could count on seasoned Montreal collaborators, concluded Hudon.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its primary mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montreal and to provide individuals, merchants and businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec 's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca