Parts of the Victoria General site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre may be unsalvageable, according to the health minister.

A burst pipe flooded three floors of the Centennial Building on Sept. 24 and forced staff to move 50 patients. It also affected outpatient services.

Two floors floors were especially damaged by water that rose as high as 75 centimetres in one spot. Health Minister Leo Glavine has toured the area and found the damage so extensive he considers it too costly to rehabilitate.

"The extensive damage to the fourth and fifth floor, you know there is a real chance that they may not be able to be populated again as a work site," he said.

Not worth fixing all deficiencies

He says the government will not put money into a building that "really should have been replaced starting at least a decade ago."

As for what other improvements might be considered at the Victoria General site, Glavine suggested they would be minimal.

"It really has an arm's-length list of deficiencies in that building and so we'll recover and keep as much moving along in the building as is necessary to deliver the services that are required," he said.

The hospital has started to renovate the ninth floor of the VG, which had been used for offices, to accommodate patients.

According to hospital spokesperson Everton McLean, radiation oncology and gynecologic oncology — which used to be on the fifth floor — will be moved to the ninth floor.

Glavine said the breach happened as a result of renovations 20 years ago when new pipes — made of different metals — were installed. The metals have since corroded and there's nothing to prevent another flood if another connection point snaps, he said.

Unknown how much insurance will pay

The minister said the hospital has insurance and will file a claim, but neither he nor the hospital would guess at the amount.

He said whatever money is paid to the hospital might be used to build what ultimately replaces the VG.

The health minister said he has spoken to the hospital foundations, which are ready to start raising funds, far and wide, for a new facility.

"We do a lot of work for Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick. Some transplant work for Newfoundland and we know that they will also have a role to play here," Glavine said.