2 December 2016Local politicians endorse Sir John Carling as site of new Ottawa Hospital_ ** Update: Melanie Joly, the Montreal-area member of parliament who is responsible for the National Capital Commission, approved the Carling site Friday. ** _ https://twitter.com/melaniejoly/status/804761076436967429 _ (press release) _ ** December 2, 2016 ** – On Thursday, November 24, the NCC approved a staff recommendation to offer Tunney’s Pasture to The Ottawa Hospital as the site of the future Civic Campus. On Tuesday, November 29, the Board of Governors of The Ottawa Hospital announced its decision to not support the recommendation of the Tunney’s Pasture property, citing key concerns around access, costs and timelines. Today, the Federal National Capital Region Government Caucus, the Ottawa Provincial Government Caucus and the Mayor of Ottawa committed to working together to fast-track the approval of the former Sir John Carling Building site as the preferred location for the new Civic Campus – and to get on with the important work of building a better Civic Campus for all residents of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Together the group represents eleven federal MPs, five provincial MPPs and the Mayor of the City of Ottawa.https://twitter.com/JimWatsonOttawa/status/804713920078422016The approximately 50 acre site is located at the northeastern corner of the Central Experimental Farm. The former Sir John Carling Building site does not include any research fields and will have a minimal impact on agricultural lands or recreational greenspace. The site’s central location provides easier access to the Queensway from both directions for Ottawa residents and patients who travel to the Civic Campus from the East and West and from throughout Eastern Ontario. It also provides easier access to residents from the South end of Ottawa via the Veterans’ Memorial Highway (416) or via Prince of Wales Drive. The site is within 100 metres of the Trillium Line, which will connect to the Confederation Line at Bayview Station once the Confederation Line opens in 2018. The Ottawa Hospital believes the former Sir John Carling Building site addresses their key concerns with regard to access, costs and timelines. Our community deserves a 21stcentury hospital and we are committed to bringing world-class health care to the City of Ottawa. This recommendation has the full support of the Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors. Not only does this site bring all parties together, it addresses the views of the community that the site be located in the downtown core while being easily accessible by public transit. Today, our group has written to the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for the NCC, informing her of its support for the former Sir John Carling Building site as the future home of the new Civic Campus. ** ** ** The Statement on a Better Location for the Civic Campus of The Ottawa Hospital has been endorsed by the following elected officials: ** ** Federal National Capital Region Government Caucus Members ** Hon. Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change & MP, Ottawa CentreHon. Andrew Leslie, MP, Ottawa-OrléansDavid McGuinty, MP, Ottawa SouthKaren McCrimmon, MP, Kanata CarletonAnita Vandenbeld, MP, Ottawa West-NepeanChandra Arya, MP, NepeanFrancis Drouin, MP, Glengarry - Prescott - RussellSteve MacKinnon, MP, GatineauGreg Fergus, MP, Hull AylmerWill Amos, MP, PontiacStéphane Lauzon, MP, Argenteuil - La Petite-Nation ** ** ** Ottawa Provincial Government Caucus ** Hon. Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure & MPP, Ottawa West-NepeanHon. Yasir Naqvi, Attorney General (Ontario) & MPP, Ottawa CentreHon. Marie-France Lalonde, Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, & MPP, Ottawa-OrléansJohn Fraser, MPP, Ottawa SouthNathalie Des Rosiers, MPP, Ottawa-Vanier ** City of Ottawa ** Jim Watson, Mayorhttp://www.slideshare.net/DevynBarrie/letter-re-ottawa-hospital-civic-campus-dec-2nd-2016