New support and research centre announced in BC

VANCOUVER – British Columbia is going ahead with a state-of-the-art Clinical Support and Research Centre (CSRC) at the new St. Paul’s Hospital. As the cornerstone of Vancouver’s newest hub for discovery and learning in the False Creek Flats, the CSRC will bolster B.C.’s life sciences community by attracting leading care providers, scientists and industry partners to deliver excellence in care, research and innovation.

“Centred around an innovation centre, and with a direct sky-bridge connection into St. Paul’s Hospital, the CSRC will include specialty medical services in addition to extensive research facilities, corporate support and child care,” said Fiona Dalton (pictured), president and chief executive officer, Providence Health Care. “This innovation hub will bring together patients, physicians, researchers and academic partners to create sustainable solutions to the challenges that face health and well-being across the world.”

The total capital cost of the project is $638.3 million and will be cost-shared by the Province ($331.7 million), Providence Health Care ($215.6 million), St. Paul’s Foundation ($88 million), and ChildCare BC New Spaces Program ($3 million).

“This new research centre will help define the future of medicine,” said Premier David Eby. “We are going to see scientific breakthroughs translated into real-world healthcare, delivering better services and treatments for patients. B.C. is becoming a global hub for life sciences and today’s announcement will help us to continue to attract the best scientists and researchers to our province, as well as doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.”

Located near 1002 Station St., directly adjacent to the new St. Paul’s Hospital, the centre will be approximately 34,400 square metres (370,000 square feet) in size and connected with a sky-bridge to the St. Paul’s Hospital on the Jim Pattison Medical Campus, which is under construction.

“Clinical research and innovation are drivers of excellence in the health sector and lead to improved patient care and treatment,” said Adrian Dix, minister of Health. “That’s why our government is investing in establishing a world-class research centre in the heart of the new St. Paul’s Hospital campus that will facilitate the translation of scientific innovation and research into day-to-day clinical practice, resulting in improved patient care and outcomes.”

Providence Health Care (PHC) and Providence Research operate several major research centres based at St. Paul’s Hospital and other surrounding locations. Once complete, the centre will be home to these key research centres, programs and disciplines at Providence as well as specialty physician practices to complement care provided in the hospital, allowing for an integrated health campus.

The centre will also include infrastructure for emerging technology such as 3D bio-printing, research data and analytics, corporate services and a 49-space child care centre.

“The new Clinical Support and Research Centre is a significant addition to the new St. Paul’s Hospital and will bring B.C.-driven innovation closer to the patients who will need it the most,” said Brenda Bailey, minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “This step is part of B.C.’s Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy demonstrating that our province continues to be a global leader in life sciences and that we are transforming our vision into action.”

Building the new centre is part of the StrongerBC Economic Plan’s Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy. The strategy outlines key actions developed in close consultation with industry and academia to position British Columbia as a global hub for life sciences and biomanufacturing, and as a leading centre for commercial-scale biopharmaceutical and medical manufacturing.

Research at Providence that will relocate to the new Clinical Support and Research Centre, includes:

• Centre for Heart Lung Innovation;
• BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS;
• BC Centre on Substance Use;
• Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes (formerly known as CHÉOS); and
• numerous clinical researchers and programs that will lead studies at the bedside in units throughout the new St. Paul’s Hospital.