The Ottawa Hospital is on its way to rebuilding a first-rate Civic Hospital campus and teaching facility on 60 acres of land once owned by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Canada’s federal government announced the recent transfer of this land to the National Capital Commission (NCC) for plans to build on the northwest corner of the 400-hectare Central Experimental Farm.

“We are addressing the new demographic reality in which we live, and the need for a new world-class medical facility for the Capital,” says Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, who is responsible for the NCC.

Although no master plans have been implemented, the transfer initiates the first steps necessary in delivering higher-quality health care to Ottawa communities

Looking ahead, the NCC also intends to foster a design that complements the unique heritage of the Central Experimental Farm.

Since the farm was established in 1886 as a central research station, it has become a national historic site, with attractions open to the public throughout the year.

“Today’s announcement by the federal government is a landmark decision for the citizens of Ottawa and the Valley,” says Jack Kitts, president and chief executive officer of The Ottawa Hospital. “It confirms the land required to move forward with the next stages of the planning and implementation process for the construction of our new hospital.”