Press release
The Superhospital Project:
A step in the right direction
Montreal, April 16, 2004 In light of the report submitted by the Commission d'analyse des projets d'implantation du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and the McGill University Hospital Centre (MUHC), the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is pleased to see that the project to build these two superhospitals is on the right track.
According to our analyses, the superhospital project is an essential strategic investment. Indeed, besides the fact that the government will spend $1.6 billion on its construction, the project will generate additional spinoffs of some $1 billion, for a total contribution of $2.6 billion to the Quebec economy, primarily in Greater Montreal. Beyond its major economic impact, this core project is a must for the development and retention of Montreal and Quebec expertise in education, research and the delivery of leading-edge health care. The implementation of these two projects is all the more critical given that biomedical research and biotechnology are sectors in which Montreal excels, stated Benoit Labonté, president and chief executive officer of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Given the huge investments these projects entail, we believe the Commission should be commended for its desire to make them transparent, realistic models in terms of their costs and sources of financing, added Benoit Labont é.
Ranked eighth among North American cities in the biopharmaceutical sector, Montreal must have the necessary structures not only to promote private investments in this industry but also to attract and keep top-notch professors, researchers and students so as to enhance its competitiveness.
In this context, the Board of Trade is of the view that the superhospital project is one of the best development tools to sustain these growth areas, and in this regard, the Commission's recommendations eloquently attest not only to the need for coherent, cohesive action in Greater Montreal, added Benoit Labonté.
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 the Greater Montrealregion and, as a contributing and responsible player, to promote the economic development of the urban area. Encompassing three specialized services ( Info entreprises, the Electronic Commerce Institute and World Trade Centre Montréal ) that serve merchants and businesses of all sizes throughout Quebec and Canada, 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