Kingston - It’s now official: pre-construction work will begin shortly on a new home for Queen’s medical school.

“The new medical school building will become the home base for our students, our classrooms and labs, which have been scattered in cramped and aged facilities across campus,” said Dr. David Walker, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “The facility will include state of the art simulation labs, and expanded distance teaching programs so that we can continue providing an excellent education to students across southeastern Ontario.”

With government grants totaling $58 million announced at a ceremony today added to $11 million already donated or pledged, the University has 90 per cent of the funding in place for the $77 million facility to be built at the corner of Arch and Stuart Streets. Queen’s will raise the remaining 10 per cent, or $8 million, through a fundraising campaign.

“Queen’s welcomes this significant infrastructure investment by the federal and provincial governments,” says Principal Tom Williams. “The new medical school building will create over 700 construction jobs, stimulate the local economy and ensure sustained teaching and research excellence at Queen’s for the long-term.”

With equal funding from both governments, the $28 million federal contribution is part of the $2 billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program to support infrastructure at Canada’s post secondary institutions. The provincial funds come through the 2009 Provincial Budget.

Local MP and Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Milliken and local MPP and Minister of the Environment John Gerretsen made the formal announcement on behalf of their governments.

“Investing in the skills and knowledge of Ontarians is a cornerstone of our government’s plan to strengthen the economy,” says Minister. Gerretsen. “By investing in a new medical school at Queen’s, our government is ensuring that the medical students of tomorrow will be able to obtain their skills and expertise in the best possible environment from which generations of present and future Ontarians will benefit.”