Brant County Council has awarded a contract worth $10.5 million contract to Norlon Builders for construction of a new community health hub.

The facility, which will span 42,000 square feet, will be located on Curtis Avenue North in Paris, a small community about 12 kilometres northwest of Brantford. The Brant Community Health Hub will house a range of health care services, including family physicians, health care practitioners, community support agencies, health supplies, and other health care and social services.

“This is going to be a great project and a game changer for the residents of our community,” Coun. Steve Howes wrote on social media. “Many local people, county staff past and present (and) council members have contributed to getting this project to this exciting stage.

“As well all move forward into our post-pandemic lives, I know that health is going to be a top priority for everyone and this is a strong step in that direction.”

Council passed the decision unanimously, and Norlon was lowest of the seven bidders on the project. The constructor will work alongside Edge Architects to build the facility. Construction is expected to start next month, and last through the summer of 2021—although the anticipated completion date may be delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In 2018, council discussed and made a number of decisions related to the development of a health care facility in the county,” said Mayor David Bailey. “A lot of progress and good decisions have been made and we are excited to see the first shovel in the ground.”

Norlon is a medium-sized general contracting firm based in London, Ontario. The company has significant experience in construction of public sector medical facilities including Middlesex County Emergency Medical Multipurpose Facility, which is a 46,000-square foot medical building similar in size and scope to the Brant Community Health Hub.

Other recent construction experience includes 340,000 square feet of buildings for Western University including their Academic Nursing, Engineering and Physics & Astronomy buildings with a combined construction value of over $100 million.

“Improving access to health care and community services in the County of Brant has been identified as a vitally important and growing need,” said Bailey. “The Brant Community Health Hub will provide our community with a stable framework for a healthy community and reduce the burden on an already overextended hospital system. Residents from newborns to seniors will be able to benefit from integrated programs, focused on their needs, close to home.”

The Brant Community Health Hub building will include a number of sustainable design features such as a green roof, highly insulated building envelope, solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, and energy efficient fixtures and equipment.

Council also awarded a contract of $585,182 to Navacon Construction to rebuild a portion of Curtis Avenue North. The work will include installing low-pressure sewers for the Curtis Avenue North Industrial Park, and replacing a failing storm sewer outlet. It was council’s opinion that tackling that construction now—prior to construction of the health hub—made the greatest sense.

To do so, council approved a motion to transfer $140,000 from another project its 2020 budget to the Curtis Avenue North project.