As volunteers work to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Flin Flon’s planned new ER, they face the potential hurdle of a moving target.
Officials anticipate the cost of the ER will come in at $22 million. Under provincial law, regional fundraising must cover 10 per cent of that amount, or $2.2 million.
But if the ER goes over budget after tenders go out, likely this spring, the fundraising team could be faced with a sudden need for even more cash.
“Until you have the tender, you don’t know with precision, and anybody that’s ever been involved in a major building project will attest to that,” says Glenn Hildebrand, spokesperson for the Northern Health Region (NHR).
That said, Hildebrand isn’t overly concerned. He says the NHR expects the $22 million estimate will hold and that plans for the ER have already been changed to help ensure that happens.
Hildebrand says land being contributed to the project counts against the fundraising total, as will hoped-for dollars from the Saskatchewan government and area First Nations that rely on the Flin Flon General Hospital.
“So we think at the end of the day we are going to have a manageable [fundraising] figure,” he says.
So far the Northern Health Foundation, a charity formed to meet fundraising requirements for northern Manitoba health projects, has brought in a little over $375,000 for the Flin Flon ER.
If the foundation cannot meet the fundraising target, it may opt to raise 20 per cent of the ER cost over the next 10 years, as is permitted under provincial law.
Hildebrand says it’s also possible the NHR would inject some of its own money into the provincially funded project, or borrow the cash and have the foundation satisfy the debt.
“One way or the other, our expectation is this project is going to happen and we’re not going to fall short because of a few thousand dollars here or there,” he says. “We’re going to get this done.”
Hildebrand adds that while it’s possible tenders will come in above $22 million, it’s also possible they will be lower in the competitive bidding process.
With tenders expected to go out this spring, the tender period is anticipated to last four to six weeks.
