The new acute care hospital site selection subcommittee is defending its process after the list of potential sites has been released.
"We stand by our decision. It was a decision that stuck to the RFP [Request For Proposals], it did not waiver from the RFP as it could not," says the Chair of the Site Selection Subcommittee Bob Renaud.
There were a total of 22 sites put forward for consideration under the RFP. Each site was evaluated based on 32 criteria including road access, zoning, and parcel size. Two sites were put forward on a short-list as potential sites for the new hospital.
The site that came in second, located behind the Home Depot near Tecumseh Rd. and Lauzon Parkway, was originally ranked first after the technical merits of the sites were graded. However once price was considered the chosen location on County Rd. 42 and Concession Rd. 9 was the highest ranked location.
"That result is justified based on the rules as set [in the RFP], in terms of 70% technical and 30% on price in this case," says Glenn Ackerley who was hired as the fairness adviser for the committee.
The overall price of each site was determined by calculating the price per acre based on a 50-acre site then adding any costs needed to bring the site up to standard to build on. The difference of the two sites was around $1.6-million.
The owners of the second place site, GEM Properties, are suing the hospital for $10-million stating the process was not followed as set out in the original tender documents.