Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

QE II concerns prompt letter from Mayor to Health Minister

Jun 16, 2021 | 5:30 AM

Concerns over potentially turning surgical rooms and other purpose-built areas at the QE II into office space is one thing that prompted Grande Prairie’s Mayor to write a letter to the health minister.

Jackie Clayton’s letter also outlines concerns over a potential rise in vacancy rates, and a subsequent drop in lease rates, if Alberta Health Services consolidates all of its offices in the QE II once the new hospital is open.

“Business owners that own buildings all of a sudden could have (a) significant volume of offices empty within their buildings. It’s council’s thought that the QE II hospital was a purpose-built facility, and, in turn, there could be opportunities and AHS should have significant consideration for what that space should be utilized.”

Clayton says converting surgical rooms into offices would be a loss for the community and for the region.

“AHS needs to sit down and really consider what they want to do with that space. We don’t believe that converting medical purpose-built rooms to offices is the best use of the space overall.”

Clayton says city hall also wants to know what the office consolidation idea might mean for the community.

“If there is an office building, for example, that has 20 offices rented by AHS and it’s half of the building, to the property owner, it could be significant which, in turn, impacts the lease rates across our city. So, concern for business owners as well as what that does to certain areas of our city When an office building is maybe next door to a restaurant is all of a sudden empty, that impacts the restaurant as well.”

Clayton says the city is looking for more information on these concerns from Shandro’s office.