Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) and the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) Foundation announced today a $2.5 million dollar contribution to aid in the development of the hospital’s new emergency department. Thanks to the contribution, the new Teck Emergency Department will feature antimicrobial copper surfaces and innovative equipment to further protect healthcare workers and patients.
“Through our Copper & Health program Teck is helping to make communities safer through the use of antimicrobial copper in public spaces,” said Don Lindsay, President and CEO for Teck.
“Royal Inland Hospital provides care in the same region as our Highland Valley Copper operation and we’re very proud to make this important contribution supporting the health and wellbeing of health care workers, patients and the public for years to come.”
Once the project is finished, the department will be able to provide better outcomes for patients as well as expanded care. This is critical for one of the busiest emergency departments in the interior.
Additionally, upgrades to the emergency department will result in shortened wait times for people who need urgent care. The beneficence from Teck, particularly the installation – in high-touch, high-traffic areas of antimicrobial copper will aid in reducing the spread of infectious diseases. Copper has a unique antimicrobial property that helps eliminate up to 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria within two hours of initial contact, minimizing the risk of contracting infections.
The donation to RIH Foundation is on top of 25 years of support from Teck and its employees at Teck Highland Valley Copper Operations. Teck has also contributed antimicrobial copper surfaces to St. Pauls’s Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital, and Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital as part of their Teck’s Copper and Health program.
“Our healthcare region is vast, with RIH at the center of a large geographical region that includes over 225,000 citizens,” said Jim Reynolds, Chair for the RIH Foundation Together We Rise Tower Campaign.
“At some point in time, it’s likely that everyone will require healthcare services, either within their communities or at RIH. Our sincerest thank you to Teck, it’s management and employees, for their generous support, and their desire to improve health care offered at Royal Inland Hospital. It truly takes a community to come together and build a world-class hospital that can consistently deliver exceptional patient care and provide necessary services through its Emergency Department. Our Time Is Now. Together We Rise.”
The redevelopment of the RIH emergency department is the second phase of Interior Health’s Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Tower renovation. Construction of the new Teck Emergency Department at RIH will start in July 2022 and will take place in phases. The department will remain open during the project. Phase 2 is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
