New campus construction: by the numbers

Sep 27, 2023

A bird’s eye view of construction at the site of The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus.

Construction crews are busy working at the site of The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus. Let’s explore some early facts about the construction of the parking garage that will support what will become one of Canada’s most modern, accessible and technologically advanced hospitals.

Time to dig up some dirt

To date, excavation crews have moved approximately 50,000 cubic metres of dirt from the location of the parking garage. Most of this dirt has been stockpiled and will be repurposed on-site. For a unique perspective on that volume, 50,000 cubic metres of dirt is equivalent to 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools and weighs approximately 100,000 metric tonnes – 15,000 elephants for a fun visual reference.

By the time construction of the parking garage is complete, the total amount of fill moved both within the site and off-site will double to approximately 100,000 cubic metres.

*Construction crews remove dirt and rock during excavation at the site of The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus.*

Crews are literally having a blast

As part of the final stage of excavation in the area where the parking garage is being built, crews have been conducting a series of controlled blasts into the bedrock. When complete, approximately 57,000 cubic metres of bedrock will be blasted, an amount 10 times larger than the Goodyear Blimp (but much less aerodynamic). The entire process is managed by a provincially-certified blast team and is in compliance with City of Ottawa requirements.

*An overhead view of construction crews removing rock during excavation at the site of The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus.*

3D GPS technology

Where are all these numbers coming from? Great question! New and emerging technology plays a vital role in any construction project and allows crews to be more accurate and efficient than ever before. At the site of the new campus, crews are operating next generation equipment that uses Trimble 3D GPS technology to efficiently track information, such as the weights and volumes of materials excavated. This helps crews maximize the movement and re-use of materials on site and can reduce equipment usage, fuel consumption and overall emissions.

While crews continue their work on the parking garage, we are working through the procurement process for the main hospital. 