McGill University is hoping the Quebec government will like its ambitious $690-million plan to overhaul the site of the abandoned Royal Victoria Hospital enough to pitch in for the bulk of the funding.

The proposed upgrades were unveiled Friday and would see the Royal Vic transformed into a new pavilion dedicated to climate change, sustainable development and public policy.

The university is now waiting to see if Quebec approves of its plans and will financially back the project.

McGill spokesperson Louis Arseneault said the government would have to assume the majority of the projected costs, but that the school would also partially fund it.

"We will have skin in the game, for sure," Arseneault said.

He's not sure when the university will find out if Quebec supports the project, but he doubts money will be allocated to it in the province's upcoming budget, being tabled Tuesday.

The hospital was built by Scottish immigrants in 1893 and Arseneault said that old architecture makes renovating the building more complex.

"We don't know exactly what we'll find when we start working in there," he said.

Arseneault added that the renewed space would not only serve the university, but the city, as the revamped heritage site would become a draw for tourists.

'Symbol of the future'

According to Arseneault, the remodeled Royal Vic will feature open classrooms, labs, green space and conference rooms.

"McGill is very excited at the idea of transforming an old hospital site, which has been abandoned, into what could be a symbol of the future," he said.

McGill's plan for the Royal Victoria Hospital buildings rely on funding from the provincial government. (Luc Lavigne/Radio-Canada)

Arseneault said that if everything goes well, the university could be breaking ground by 2021 — the 200th anniversary of the university.

He added that the remodeled site would help McGill's current crunch for space.

The university is dealing with a 28,000-square-metre deficit and the Royal Vic site would contribute 50,000-square-metres.

Studies dating back to 2015

Developing plans for the Royal Vic date back to when it was transitioning out of being a hospital.

In 2015, McGill launched a call for tenders to conduct a feasibility study to assess the technical, financial and heritage-related challenges of transforming the site.

The $8-million study was partially financed by the Quebec government.

It came after patients were moved from the site to the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Glen site in April 2015.

In the years since, the Royal Vic has been empty and costing the MUHC $7.5 million annually to maintain.