OTTAWA — The federal government is transferring 60 acres of land for a new hospital campus and teaching facility in Ottawa.

The new campus would be located on Carling Avenue, across from the current Civic Hospital.

Canada’s Foreign Minister and MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, John Baird, made the announcement on Monday. Baird called it a, “big investment in long-term health of residents.”

Funding for the expansion is not in place, but land will now be available.

When the province and the hospital are ready to go, they know for certain they have the site across the street, says Baird. #OttNews — Kristy Cameron (@1310Kristy) November 3, 2014

“The timelines, historically, would be beyond a decade at best,” said Dr. Jack Kitts, president and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital of the new Civic.

Right now, staff are making do with the current Civic, which is aging.

“It’s an old hospital with, in some cases, three patients in a bedroom,” said Dr. Kitts. “The future hospital will have one patient per room, one patient per bathroom; I think that’s essential for…infection control.”

The land for the hospital has been transferred to the NCC, which says it is comitted to a design that compliments the heritage character of the Experimental Farm.