Coronavirus threat halts all construction work at major Metro Vancouver development

Feb 29 2020, 3:02 am

Construction on the first phase of the City of Lougheed redevelopment in Burnaby has come to a complete halt as a precautionary measure, after an on-site worker was found to have a symptom consistent with the COVID-19 coronavirus.

In a release, ITC Construction Group, the main contractor for the project, states the worker presented with a fever Thursday, and construction activities on the project located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Austin Road and North Road — on the site of Lougheed Mall — were shut down until further notice on Friday.

“Our team ensured that the individual received the appropriate medical attention immediately and we called the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority to provide assistance and lead the care and treatment process,” reads the release.

“We do not have any confirmation that this incident is related to the coronavirus outbreak. Safety is a primary concern on all of our job sites. Our team responded diligently to preserve the safety of all workers on site and we are taking the necessary precautions until we receive confirmation from the medical experts on the official diagnosis.”

This comes as concerns begin to mount over a possible global pandemic of the illness, with federal health officials in both Canada and the United States issuing warnings and urging the public and businesses to be prepared.

Within British Columbia, as of today, there have been seven confirmed cases of the coronavirus, accounting for about half of the cases in Canada.

Globally, there are now over 85,100 cases and more than 2,900 deaths, with the coronavirus’ spread now accelerating outside of China. But over 36,400 people have recovered, and there are no deaths within Canada at this time.

The City of Lougheed is developed by Shape Properties. The first phase of the project entails four towers — 57, 50, 30, and 31 storeys — with a combined total of 1,543 homes and 117,000 sq. ft. of commercial space.

When all phases of the 37-acre mall redevelopment are complete, there will be nearly 10,000 homes within over 20 towers and about 1.5 million sq. ft. of new retail — more than doubling the retail space of the old shopping centre.

City of Lougheed Burnaby

Artistic rendering of the first phase of the City of Lougheed. (Shape Properties)

City of Lougheed Burnaby

Artistic rendering of the City of Lougheed’s transit plaza area. (Shape Properties)

City of Lougheed Burnaby

Master plan for the City of Lougheed redevelopment of Lougheed Town Centre shopping mall. (Shape Properties)

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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