2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report Ministry of Advanced Education

Report on Resources

Resource Summary by Core Business Areas

Capital Requirements and Financing Transactions

Prepaid capital advances represent funds provided to public post-secondary institutions for approved capital costs of new buildings, renovations, improvements, equipment and capital leases. These expenses support the Ministry's goals for a top-notch post-secondary system and economic and social development.

Under the Student Financial Assistance Programs, receipts represent the principal repayments on outstanding loans and disbursements represent loans provided to students. These transactions support the Ministry's goals for economic and social development and responsive and effective management.

Major Capital Projects

UBC Life Sciences Centre

In response to the New Era commitment to increase the number of medical school graduates in the province, the University of British Columbia (UBC) began construction of a new Life Sciences Centre on campus located south of the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre on the UBC Point Grey campus. This new facility will serve as the hub of the province's distributed learning medical education program, partnering with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the University of Victoria (UVic) to bring medical education to the Island and the North. Construction began on the Centre in 2002 and, when it opens in September 2004, it will provide over 40,000 square metres of space to house science departments and teaching and research laboratories.

Objectives

• Increase the intake of BC medical students from the current 128 to 200 by 2004/05, 224 by 2005/06, and 256 by 2010/11. This will increase the number of medical school graduates to 256 by 2013/14.
• Expand training and post-secondary programs to graduate more allied health workers (e.g., nurses, occupational therapists, rehabilitation specialists).

Costs

• $110 million has been allocated to the construction of the UBC Life Sciences Centre.
• $22.21 million was spent from the construction budget in 2002/03, which is in keeping with our estimated expenditures for the fiscal year.

Benefits (as estimated by UBC)

• Improving access to medical care in British Columbia, in part due to increasing the supply of health care professionals and improving the retention of existing health care professionals in the province.
• Generating $32 to $39 million in additional economic output in British Columbia per year and direct employment of over 1,000 people.
• Generating $21 to $23 million in additional research grants per year and an increased number of high-tech spin-off companies in British Columbia. We also anticipate more direct support of the British Columbia biotechnology industry.

Ongoing Risks

• UBC Properties Trust has a track record of completing projects on time, which should ensure the scheduled occupancy of the Centre in September 2004.
• UBC is committed to constructing the facility on budget and has guaranteed to absorb all financial risk beyond the $110 million budget, using funds not sourced by any form of provincial funding.

Related Medical Expansion

In addition to the UBC Life Sciences Centre, satellite medical schools are being constructed at UNBC and UVic for a combined cost of $24 million. The UNBC Northern Health Sciences Centre is located on the UNBC campus and will offer around 4,000 square metres of space when it opens in 2004. The Island Medical Program Building will provide approximately 4,000 square metres of space at the UVic main campus when completed in October 2004. Construction begins on the facility in July 2003.