Kingston - A new home for the School of Medicine moved a step closer today when government dignitaries (including two Queen's graduates and a former faculty member) helped university representatives shift earth with a backhoe at the $77-million building's official groundbreaking.

Senator Hugh Segal (who served as a Fellow with the School of Policy Studies), MPP for Kingston and The Islands John Gerretsen, Arts'64, Law'67 and Kingston Mayor Harvey Rosen, Law '75, joined Vice-Principal (Academic) Patrick Deane, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences David Walker and Medical Student Society president Karmen Krol at this morning's ceremony.

"With site preparation well under way, the exciting vision for our new Medical School building will soon become reality," said Dr. Walker. "We are grateful for the support of the Canada-Ontario Knowledge Infrastructure Program and the generosity of our own donors, whose combined contributions have raised 92 per cent of the funding. When completed, Queen's will have a world-class training facility that will continue to attract the best medical students and faculty, and provide an unparalleled educational experience for the doctors of tomorrow."

"The new medical school home represents a compelling investment in the Queen's School of Medicine, and will help shape a reputation for excellence in education and fortify the sense of community that is the cornerstone of the undergraduate medical student experience at Queen's," added Mr Krol.

Bringing together teaching, research, administrative and student facilities in one state-of-the-art building, the facility will be a hub for innovative medical education, including small group teaching, simulation and integrated science labs. It will allow the university to further expand medical programs and ultimately provide the region, province and country with greater access to doctors.

The Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a two-year, $2 billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at Canadian post-secondary institutions, is part of the $12 billion in new infrastructure investment allocated under Canada's Economic Action Plan.