Minister Couillard confirmed that the expansion project was authorized to move forward, at a cost of $18.4 million. He specified that the budget announced today would not include the cost of specialized medical equipment or information technologies. Taking these elements into account, the total value of the project could easily reach $30 million. Improving services

The Health Minister also used the occasion to praise the Institute's staff and expertise, referring to the Montreal Heart Institute as a gem to which his government was proud to provide tangible support. He expressed his gratitude to the MHI for providing services that benefit patients across Québec and stated that he was confident that the investments announced today would help maintain and improve the services dispensed at the Institute.

Opening of the new operating theatre: July 2007

The operating theatre will begin construction in March 2006 and is slated to open in July 2007. It will feature seven surgical rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Five of these rooms will be reserved for ongoing activities, one will be set aside for emergency cases, and another will be used for research purposes and for evaluating new technologies, including robotics surgery.

The Montreal Heart Institute Foundation is delighted by this announcement and will be there every step of the way to support the Institute through these major changes. The expansion project will enable MHI physicians to perform an additional 500 surgical procedures annually, for a total of 2,500 cardiac procedures per year.

To read the complete press release sent to the media by the Montreal Heart Institute, click here .