The Vision – Transforming Lives Here

CAMH has embarked on a bold Redevelopment Project that is transforming lives. We are building a new kind of hospital for the 21st century – advancing treatment, revitalizing our community, and changing attitudes toward those with mental illness and addictions.

 

- Watch a video about how CAMH’s Queen Street Redevelopment Project is changing the face – and future - of mental illness and addictions: Windows Media Video format | Flash format

 

The CAMH Redevelopment Project – Transforming Lives Here – will convert our 27-acre site on Queen Street West into a welcoming, integrated community, weaving together new cutting-edge CAMH facilities with shops, residences, businesses, parks, and through-streets to create an inclusive, healing neighbourhood.  Nothing quite like this has ever been done before. 

 

The CAMH Redevelopment Project will:

• Deliver a new model of care and provide a healthy environment that promotes recovery
  
• Bring together the best research, clinical, education, health promotion, and policy experts in one place to change the future of mental health and addictions
  
• Revitalize our city by opening up our site and creating an inclusive new nine-block neighbourhood that benefits all
  
• Change attitudes by breaking down barriers to eliminate stigma

 

To learn more about the vision for this major redevelopment, see the complete Master Vision for Transforming Lives Here. For the latest construction updates, go to News & Construction Updates.

 

To keep informed about this exciting project, subscribe to our updates by sending an email to redevelopment_feedback@camh.net.

 

The Realization

The three buildings of the current phase of the CAMH Redevelopment are being constructed at the same time as the first non-CAMH building – the Ossington-Queen Street Rental Apartments (not shown here) – and are going up right on Queen Street West.

 

The First Phase 

The first phase of the Queen Street Redevelopment Project was completed in April 2008. Clients are already experiencing the benefits of care in new home-like surroundings with private spaces and washrooms, reflection areas, exercise facilities, and gardens. For more information on this first phase, Phase 1A, go to Improving CAMH's Quality of Care.

 

The Current Phase 

The current phase began in early 2010 and is the definitive break from the existing institutional Queen Street campus towards the realization of our vision of an integrated, inclusive community that includes new streets, sidewalks, and three new CAMH facilities:

• The Intergenerational Wellness Centre (seen below) will combine CAMH’s Child, Youth and Family Program and Geriatric Mental Health Program. Along with the 48 beds for seniors with complex mental health issues, the Centre will include Canada’s first full-service 12-bed inpatient program dedicated to youth struggling with both addictions and mental illness.

 

• The Bell Gateway Building will bring together a variety of outpatient programs, key central clinical services, and all of the support and administrative functions required by CAMH’s eventual Queen Street hub. And, there will be our client-run 'Out of This World Café' that will be a street-front café with a sidewalk patio (featured below).

 

• The Utilities and Parking Building will feature bookable meeting and client assessment spaces together with covered parking and an environmentally friendly central plant with heating and cooling functions for all three buildings. A night view of the new Utilities and Parking Building is shown below.

 

New roads, sidewalks and boulevards, as well as the first non-CAMH building (the Ossinton-Queen Street Rental Apartments) comprising a mix of retail and affordable residential units, will give shape to this vibrant downtown community.

 

For the latest construction updates, go to News & Construction Updates.

 

Being Green

Many ‘green’ elements have been incorporated in the Redevelopment Project to support CAMH's mandate to be environmentally responsible, including:

• A 3,000-square-foot green roof on the first phase to improve local air quality, retain storm water, and insulate the building will be followed by a partial green roof plus white roofs on the current phase of the project.
• All three buildings now being constructed will be designed with environmentally responsible and sustainable features in order to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, the first hospital buildings in Ontario to do so.
• A new natural-gas powered central plant to provide heating and cooling to CAMH’s new facilities will maximize energy efficiency.
• This phase of the project will result in a reduction of nearly 27% in energy cost savings.
• Our reduced greenhouse gas emissions will be like taking 220 cars off the road.
• Secure underground bicycle parking and change/shower facilities to promote bicycle use and commuting will be added.
• Green spaces, both public and exclusive to clients, will be incorporated into the site, with large-growing shade trees planted throughout the urban village in boulevards.

 

Watch a short video 'fly through' depicting what the site will look like in the future: Windows Media Video format | Flash format (Please note: the video may be slow to load.)

 

The Future

CAMH's bold new hospital will be home to the best care, research, education, and health promotion anywhere in the world while also playing an important role in the renaissance of our city – bringing energy and excitement, and contributing to the economic health of the Queen West community.

 

The third phase of the redevelopment plans include building the Centre for Discovery and Knowledge Exchange, which will bring together many of CAMH’s research staff and education staff and build on one of CAMH’s signature strengths: integration. Physically linking research scientists with clinicians, educators, and health promotion professionals will mean we are more able to create timely, relevant research having the greatest possible impact.

 

One of the largest client care buildings, the new Client Care Building, will be the last to be completed along Queen Street West, and will also house the Queen Street child care centre.

 

And later, new community buildings will be mixed-use buildings combining retail, office, and residential will complete the redevelopment of our Queen Street site.

 

For further information, contact:

Redevelopment Office
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
901 King Street. West
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3H5

Phone: 416-535-8501, ext. 3330
E-mail: redevelopment_feedback@camh.net

 

To keep informed about this exciting project, subscribe to our updates by sending an email to redevelopment_feedback@camh.net.

 

Also, please visit the website of the CAMH Foundation and our Infrastructure Ontario partners.

 

This website provides a comprehensive overview of the Redevelopment Project and is divided into the following sections:

• News & Construction Updates  
• Master Plan and Other Key Documents
• What's Coming Next?
• New Neighbours in the Urban Village
• Improving CAMH's Quality of Care
• Innovative New Site Design
• Redevelopment Photo and Image Gallery
• History of CAMH and the Queen Street Site

ID#1356 -SP
Content updated: December 16, 2011 9:56 AM

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