The CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute said they hope to break ground on the facility that will house the cyclotron this spring.
“The spring is our targeted timeline as the frost starts to come out of the ground to do a sod turning and actually be in a position where we are digging holes and the public will start to see that capital construction come alive,” said Michael Power.
The $4 million cyclotron has been purchased from Vancouver-based company Advanced Cyclotron Systems Inc., and a site has been chosen adjacent to the radiation facilities in the cancer centre at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The model purchased is a TR-24, which is higher energy than a typical medical cyclotron.
Power said the machine will not only allow the TBRRI to produce isotopes for the hospital and the Institute’s research purposes, but they will also be able to sell isotopes to other hospitals right across the province and in the northern United States.
The entire project is expected to take 24 months to complete. The architects have been selected and the designs are expected to be completed by mid-February.
The project is expected to cost $10 million total with $4 million from the federal government, $3.9 million from the province and $1.5 million from the City of Thunder Bay.
