New Calgary cancer centre announced

Cancer patients in Calgary are getting a new treatment centre at the South Health Campus.

Health Minister Stephen Mandel said the centre will be the first phase of a two-site model for cancer care in Calgary.

Mandel said construction of the new cancer centre will begin as soon as possible and should be completed by 2020.

The city's existing cancer centre, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, will be expanded in the future as part of the Foothills site master plan.

Mandel made the announcement alongside Premier Jim Prentice Monday afternoon as they unveiled details of the $3.4 billion in health capital and maintenance spending contained in last week's provincial budget.

The announcement will likely disappoint some cancer patients and advocates. This two-site announcement replaces a plan for a single, new cancer centre which was originally planned for the Foothills hospital and was slated to begin in 2016.

John Osler with the Concerned Citizens for the Calgary Cancer Centre said before the announcement the health facilities funding in last week's provincial budget doesn't come close to the amount of money needed.

"There's nothing in that budget that in any conceivable way leads me to believe that they are announcing what they promised — that is a comprehensive one-stop shop, full service cancer centre at the Foothills hospital site," he said.

Minister Mandel also announced funding for expanded emergency and pediatrics facilities at the Peter Lougheed Centre in northeast Calgary and for renovations to the women' health and vascular departments.

In a release, the government outlined plans for a new urgent care centre in Airdrie and ongoing funding to redevelop or replace health centres in Raymond and Taber as well as for Lethbridge Chinook Regional Hospital and Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.