CancerCare Headquarters Expansion Courtesy of Big Tobacco

In 2016, Premier Greg Selinger announced CancerCare Manitoba's expansion as part of a series of announcements ahead of the election. He subsequently lost the election and Pallister cancelled the expansion and instead introduced cuts and consolidation. This past election in 2023, the NDP under Wak Kinew also promised CancerCare's expansion. This time the NDP won and the insurance policy to carry it forward was the longtime lawsuit against tobacco companies by all the provinces over the costs to the healthcare system as a result of smoking. Manitoba's share, expected in the next 12 months, is likely to be half a billion.

The above illustration was the plan in 2016. It was to take over the land of the former space across the street and voila, a new building. A cost wasn't really talked about, however, the Women's Hospital that was just built cost $233 million and took from 2007 till 2019 to get done. These things don't come quickly or cheaply. 

The new Calgary cancer hospital is to cost $1.5 billion. I don't expect those type of costs for the new CancerCare building in Winnipeg but the plans might be more expansive than originally forecast. The space where Manitoba Clinic was is quite big. In the last 10 years, CancerCare has raised tens of millions from donations so they have been awaiting this project for some time.

The Calgary hospital expansion asked the people what should be included aside from the clinical needs. The building design is beautiful and has many aspects of greenery and design to please those going through a tough time. The present CancerCare building is nice but not exactly beautiful. The area across the street has been used for lunch events and the like but no one has to remind people just how unfriendly the streets have been the last few years around HSC.

The HSC and adjoining University of Manitoba downtown campus occupy 39 acres. Two hotels are associated with the complex, Canadian Blood Services is across the street and the Cadham Provincial Laboratory along with the Manitoba Clinic are adjacent. The National Microbiology Laboratory is a baseball throw away.  Still, compared to Toronto where City Hall, the provincial legislature, the University of Toronto, the hospital sector, the law courts and Eaton Centre are all very close, HSC is much farther away from downtown. Winnipeg is very spread out. And HSC resides in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada.

One new hospital is not going to rehabilitate a whole neighbourhood. It certainly hasn't for the new Women's Hospital but it certainly has improved the maternity care in Manitoba. What is needed though is a CancerCare Hospital that feels safe and secure both inside and out. When the General Hospital expanded out to William Avenue, it lost a lot of green space. The Children's Hospital borders right up to the sidewalk and is not very street friendly. It is just a wall with high windows.

If there is any hope for the area, sympathy for the street has to go into the construction. It can't be like Portage Place presently which turns its back on Portage Avenue. Windows should be able to let light in and entrances shouldn't feel like turning into an alley. As assault can take place right outside Children's Hospital and no one on the inside could see or hear it. Blind spots and wind tunnels are not very people friendly.

It will be interesting to see if the design of the new CancerCare HQ will be getting a tweaking after so many years. Not to mention some public input on how it looks and feels on the site. McDermott can be attractive given how many students are present with the medical school, nursing school, pharmacy school and dental school present. All told ten university buildings on a tree-lined street. CancerCare also faces out to the street and will be building immediately across from their present facility. Pre-pandemic, the street was often filled with vendors and people enjoying lunch outside.

The safety and security issues can't be overlooked but CancerCare has to make sure they are part of the vitality of HSC. The new security detail at the campus has to make sure that people feel comfortable both inside and out of the building. The danger is making all of HSC a fortress instead of a social and economic driver of the neighbourhood. However, it is tough with a number of burned out buildings just steps away that never seem to get rehabilitated. A lot of businesses have closed in the last few years along Notre Dame as well. The aftermath of the pandemic has been painful.

It will be good to see the open space of the re-located Manitoba Clinic filled with CancerCare's building. It is much needed as we continue to make progress on raising the lifespans of those who rely on early detection, treatment and sustaining those who need the services of specialty trained health professionals. Let's hope the wait is not nearly as long as it was to get Women's Hospital built.