Waterloo, ON (July 22, 2024) – In a historic milestone for healthcare in Waterloo Region, St. Mary’s General Hospital and Grand River Hospital are excited to announce their new hospital being planned on a future site that is part of the David Johnston Research + Technology Park (R+T Park) at the University of Waterloo.
The Hospitals and the University are partnering to plan development of land located west of Bearinger Road and Hagey Boulevard in Waterloo for the new, joint acute care hospital. The new state-of-the-art hospital, if approved by the Government for implementation, will bring more hospital beds and acute care capacity to the region, introduce new services, and bring more care closer to home for patients.
The future site was identified as the preferred location for the new hospital following a ten-month property review process, led by an independent Site Selection Panel.
Through this new partnership, the Hospitals and the University will continue to build on years of collaboration to bring education, innovation, and healthcare delivery closer together than ever before. Most recently, their work together through the Care Next Coalition brings local innovations, including those developed at the University, directly to patients at the Hospitals.
“We are thrilled that the University of Waterloo will be the future home to Waterloo Region’s new hospital,” says Mark Fam, President of St. Mary’s General Hospital. “Not only does the location make great sense in terms of patient accessibility, it also allows our organizations to deepen our relationship even further for the benefit of the communities we serve.”
“Together with the province, the Hospitals and the University of Waterloo have the opportunity to truly create a better health system for the Region and become an innovation campus of care,” says Ron Gagnon, President and CEO of Grand River Hospital. “This is a major milestone on our journey in planning for a new hospital and we couldn’t have a better partner than the University of Waterloo.”
The Hospitals are now working with the University of Waterloo to determine how the land will be developed to house the future hospital. The planning process for the new hospital will take approximately five years, followed by five years of construction. The new hospital is expected to open by 2035.
“Today’s announcement means more than a new state-of-the-art hospital in our region, it is a deepening of an already strong collaboration between our University and health institutions across the Region,” said Vivek Goel, President of the University of Waterloo.
“It’s yet another example of empowering students, faculty, and the community to contribute to a healthier Region through community-focused, cutting-edge research and experiential learning opportunities.”
“Our government is making record investments in our hospital infrastructure, expanding hospital capacity with shovels in the ground for over 50 new hospital projects across the province,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “The new hospital site in Waterloo will support the region’s fast-growing community, ensure people can access world-class, convenient care for years to come.”
“The new site for the Waterloo Region hospital at the University of Waterloo will foster innovation, enhance research and better connect the growing region to convenient care closer to home,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Right across the province, our government is investing more than $50 billion to support more than 50 major hospital projects. When it comes to your health, we’re building a healthcare system that people across Ontario can count on.”
In April, the Hospitals’ Boards announced their goal of joining together through a voluntary merger, creating a single organization to oversee current Hospital sites, services and ongoing capital redevelopment projects.
Selecting a site for the new acute care hospital is an important milestone for the project and a necessary next step towards the integration of the two Hospital organizations. The new hospital will be one of three campuses operated by the new joint Hospital organization, including the existing Kitchener-Waterloo and Freeport Campuses, currently part of Grand River. Plans call for these two sites to be renewed and repurposed as part of the development proposal.
The future of the St. Mary’s site will be determined by the St. Joseph’s Health System through consultation with patients, community members, municipal planning bodies, and health care partners, including the KW4 Ontario Health Team. The Hospital location will remain operational until the new hospital opens.
For more information and to stay up to date on the Hospitals’ redevelopment projects, visit futureofcaretogether.ca.
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Media Contacts
Victoria Ott
Integrated Director, Strategic Engagement
Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital
Victoria.Ott@grhosp.on.ca
519-588-4687
Rebecca Elming
Director, Media Relations and Issues Management
University of Waterloo
relming@uwaterloo.ca
647-459-8313
About Building the Future of Care Together
Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital have been partners for more than 40 years, sharing services such as labs, one health information system, pharmacy, a 690-person medical staff, and leadership in KW4 OHT.
Between Grand River and St. Mary’s, the communities have access to regional programs including: cardiac, cancer, chest, ophthalmology, renal, and stroke. Annually, the Hospitals accommodate nearly 350,000 patient visits, over 100,000 emergency department visits, more than 30,000 surgical procedures, and nearly 4,500 births. Together, Grand River and St. Mary’s provide 82% of patient care services across Waterloo Region.
The Hospitals are supported by their foundation partners – the Grand River Hospital Foundation and St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation – in Building the Future of Care Together.
Stay connected and sign-up to receive updates and learn more about the project at futureofcaretogether.ca.
About St. Mary’s General Hospital
Located in the heart of Kitchener, St. Mary’s General Hospital is home to the Regional Cardiac Centre, Regional Chest Program, and Regional Eye Program. As globally recognized leaders in our field for world-class, innovative healthcare, our vision of
“Inspiring Excellence. Healthier Together” is not just about our approach to patient-centred care, it’s also about our commitment to our staff.
For a century, St. Mary’s has provided compassionate care to the communities of Waterloo-Wellington, and beyond, serving over 1.4 individuals every year. We are the second-largest acute care hospital in the St. Joseph’s Health System with a team of over 2,000 staff, physicians and volunteers dedicated to ensuring patients receive the highest-quality care possible.
Learn more about Our Mission, Values and History and the Future of Care at SMGH.ca.
About Grand River Hospital
Grand River Hospital is building a world-class health system for all in the communities we serve. One of Ontario’s largest community hospitals, we’re delivering exceptional, patient-focused quality care by a team of dedicated healthcare workers and volunteers. Our dedicated team of staff members, medical staff, learners, and volunteers are committed to delivering an exceptional healthcare experience with compassion.
The largest and most comprehensive community hospital in our region, Grand River serves as the hub for cancer treatment, childbirth, pediatrics, neonatal intensive care, mental health, clinical research, kidney and dialysis treatments, and stroke rehabilitation. It also houses bustling emergency, critical, and long-term care facilities. It’s safe to assume nearly everyone in our communities will walk through the doors of our Hospital at some point in their lives.
At Grand River Hospital, we’re committed to transforming healthcare delivery, providing an exceptional experience for all and working collaboratively to improve the health of our communities. Our vision is a world-class health system supporting healthier lives. Learn more at GrandRiverHospital.ca.
About the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. We are home to a renowned talent pipeline,
game-changing research and technology, and unmatched entrepreneurial culture, that together create solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
A strategic integration of research and teaching excellence, the world’s largest co-operative education program, entrepreneurship-intensive programs, and creator-owned IP, has resulted in extensive industry collaboration, the generation of thousands of commercial and social enterprises, and a dynamic learning experience for more than 41,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Find out more at uwaterloo.ca.
This week, Canadians will pause to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is important to take time to reflect on the lasting trauma created by residential schools and colonization, and to commit to take action.
Established in 2013 as Orange Shirt Day, September 30 was recognized by the Government of Canada as National Day for Truth Reconciliation in 2021. Now in its third year, this is a day to honour survivors, those who never returned home, as well as the families and communities who have been so deeply impacted by the residential school system.
As one of the largest health care systems in Canada, it is incumbent on us to commit to truth and reconciliation, and to ensure that we are living our values of dignity, respect, service, justice and responsibility in order to deliver compassionate and high-quality health care to all members of the communities we serve.
During the month of September, all St. Joseph’s Health System member organizations are flying the Survivors’ Flag. The Survivors’ Flag was created by residential school survivors as a way to honour the lives impacted by the residential school system. Each element of the flag’s moving design is meaningful, and I encourage you to learn more about the flag, reflect on its meaning and to read the reflections shared by survivors.
Raising the Survivors’ Flag is an important symbolic step in our journey towards truth and reconciliation. It is also a crucial reminder of the continuing need to do better, and to take concrete action.
How to take action: Many of our member organizations have created opportunities for healthcare workers to take action, and to learn more. I encourage you to seek out those opportunities.
- Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report and Calls to Action.
- Read the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion’s educational resource and commit to a suggested action.
- Take an e-learning course offered by Ontario Health.
- Donate to an Indigenous-led organization individually or as a team, such as Legacy of Hope Foundation, First Nations Child & Family Caring Society, or Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
- Show your support by wearing an orange shirt purchased from an Indigenous organization or designer.
Reflecting on the lasting impacts of colonization can be especially difficult for Indigenous staff. If you need to talk to someone, click here for a list of mental health supports for Indigenous Peoples.
Thank you to all St. Joseph’s Health System members for working together in supporting Indigenous communities as we continue on the path toward truth and reconciliation.
Liz Buller
President and CEO
St. Joseph’s Health System
A proud lifelong Hamiltonian and well-known philanthropist, Margaret Juravinski was beloved by the Hamilton community.
Her care and concern for the people of the city manifested itself in her and her husband’s remarkable generosity over more than 20 years, creating a transformational philanthropic legacy in Hamilton.
For Margaret, ‘sharing is caring’ was a mantra she invoked each and every day. It didn’t matter the amount or where the gift was directed, it was the act of giving and the impact it would make that was paramount.
“It’s what we want to do for the community because we care for this community … caring and sharing is the general idea we hope other people would pick up on,” Margaret said in a 2019 interview.
The 91-year-old died May 9 in Hamilton. Charles, her husband of more than 65 years, died February 16, 2022 at the age of 92.
“All of us at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and its charitable foundation are truly saddened by the passing of Margaret Juravinski. The passing of a pillar of our community can leave a tremendous void in our hearts, but Margaret left us an incredible legacy that will live on. Because of Margaret and her late husband Charles, our city is home to world-class healthcare facilities that bear their names, and we are at the epicenter of health research thanks to the work underway through the Juravinski Research Institute. The legacy of Margaret and Charles Juravinski is achieving exactly what they intended it to – benefitting and improving the lives of others well beyond their passing,” says Melissa Farrell, President, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
Margaret grew up during the Great Depression in East Hamilton. After the war, she met Charles Juravinski while working at the Woolworth’s counter making sandwiches.
Across all aspects of her life, Margaret was known for her dedication, energy and wisdom. She worked alongside her husband, helping manage Flamboro Downs for 30 years until it was sold in 2003.
Throughout all their various business and philanthropic endeavours, Margaret was Charles’ top adviser and partner. While Charles may have been the more vocal of the pair, both he and Margaret made it clear time and time again that the success of their 65-year plus marriage relied heavily on the fact that they were partners: in business, in marriage and in life.
Margaret and Charles spent more than two decades making gifts to several Hamilton organizations, including giving more than $68.8 million to Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
Their generosity is recognized in part with the naming of the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre at Hamilton Health Sciences, the Juravinski Innovation Tower at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Charlton Campus, the Margaret & Charles Juravinski Centre for Integrated Healthcare at St. Joseph’s West 5th Campus and Margaret’s Place Hospice at St. Joseph’s Villa.
“Working with Margaret (and Charlie) over the past 15 years has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful highlights of my time here at St. Joe’s,” says Sera Filice-Armenio, President and CEO, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation. “Over the years, I was consistently awed by their generous spirit, encouraged by Margaret’s desire to spread the word about the power of philanthropy, and inspired by the humility and humanity that were the hallmarks of their legacy. Margaret was so committed to making sure their gifts would have the widest, most accessible impact, ensuring all those in need could find and receive the very best healthcare, right here in Hamilton. She was a remarkable force for good and she will be deeply missed.”
Over the last four years, Charles and Margaret continued to make new gifts totalling $16.5 million through their namesake foundation to support research on child and youth health, integrated care, burn research, macular degeneration, health system transformation, COVID-19 and brain health.
Today, the Juravinski name is synonymous with world-class, personalized health care and health research in Hamilton through the Juravinski Research Institute.
“Today, we mourn the loss of a true champion for the health and prosperity of Hamilton. Margaret Juravinski and her husband, Charlie, embodied the spirit of philanthropy,” says Dr. Julian Dobranowski, Chair of the Juravinski Research Institute Steering and Scientific Committees. “Selfless to her core, Margaret sought to make Hamilton a better place by improving the quality of health care for patients at all stages of life. Giving was part of her DNA, having spent much of her golden years inspiring others to make gifts to causes close to their hearts. It was a tremendous pleasure to call her my friend, and while I’ll miss her wonderful smile and endearing sense of humour, it gives me hope to know that her and Charlie’s legacies will live on through the Juravinski Research Institute and the countless patients and families who have been touched by their immense generosity.”
With support from the Juravinski Research Institute (JRI), Hamilton researchers have launched a new initiative to improve health outcomes for people living in Hamilton’s subsidized residential care facilities. Lead investigators are aiming to leverage a pilot project of an integrated primary care team tested by McMaster Family Practice and the Greater Hamilton Health Network and based upon the principles of the Integrated Comprehensive Care model developed by partners throughout the St. Joseph’s Health System.
Leading the study are Chi-Ling Joanna Sinn, a research fellow from St. Joseph’s Health System’s Centre for Integrated Care; Anthea Innes, director, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging and the Gilbrea Chair in Aging and Mental Health, Professor Health Aging and Society at McMaster University; and Andrew Costa, the Schlegel Research Chair in Clinical Epidemiology & Aging; associate professor, Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster; and research director, St. Joseph’s Health System’s Centre for Integrated Care.
The study by Sinn, Innes and Costa has received $1.175 million from the JRI to establish baseline data, implement and evaluate more integrated and accessible ways to deliver health and social services, and develop processes for scaling the pilot program across similar facilities in Hamilton.
In 2010, the Hamilton Spectator’s Code Red series shone a light on the staggering health disparities across Hamilton’s neighbourhoods and their link to poverty and other social determinants of health. The series prompted an outpouring of public awareness and organized efforts to improve access to care, but 10 years later, important health indicators such as life expectancy have remained unchanged or even worsened.
Many of the worst-performing neighbourhoods are concentrated in Hamilton’s downtown core, and this area is also home to 39 of the city’s 48 subsidized residential care facilities.
“Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it became even more evident that people living in subsidized residential care facilities are a vulnerable population often managing multiple chronic conditions, and yet they face many barriers to accessing primary care,” said Chi-Ling Joanna Sinn, the project’s co-principal investigator. “When they need help, residents tend to receive episodic care at the emergency room or an urgent care centre. Since neither the city that oversees residential care facilities nor the health system who cares for its residents has consistent reliable data on this population, they become somewhat invisible. Their medical history, records and referrals can become fragmented and forgotten, leading to poorer outcomes and the cycle continues. That cycle is what we’re trying to disrupt through this study and the application of integrated care.”
Seeing this phenomenon play out time and time again amidst the pandemic motivated Dr. Doug Oliver, medical director of the McMaster Family Practice to expand his practice into one of these facilities and assemble an integrated primary care team to support residents where they live. This model of care shows great promise in removing barriers to accessing care and improving the continuity of care for residents.
Now, with funding from the JRI, a consortium from Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and the City of Hamilton are working together with the Greater Hamilton Health Network, an Ontario Health Team, and its Residential Care Facility Steering Committee to learn from the pilot project, embed it with best practices from St. Joseph’s Integrated Comprehensive Care Project, and create a framework for further implementation across other congregate care settings to improve health outcomes for residents.
“Through decades of giving to Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, St. Joseph’s Villa in Dundas, and more, Margaret and the late Charles Juravinski developed a keen understanding of the complex healthcare system in Hamilton, where its strengths lie, and where there are opportunities for improvement,” said Dr. Julian Dobranowski, chair of the JRI steering and scientific committees. “The JRI was founded to encourage collaboration across that complex system, and this new project is, in part, intended to help address those lingering facets of inequality in access to the remarkable healthcare services our city is home to.”
The JRI was established through Margaret and the late Charles Juravinski’s historic $100-million+ legacy gift made in May 2019. It remains one of Canada’s largest-ever legacy gifts. Since then, the Juravinskis invested an additional $16.5 million which includes the most recent in-life gift of $5.1 million earmarked to support various research projects across the city.
MEDIA RELEASE
Kitchener, ON | November 24, 2022 – After an extensive search process, Mark Fam has been named the new President of St. Mary’s General Hospital, and will be joining the Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health System on February 6, 2023.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mark to St. Mary’s and to the St. Joseph’s Health System,” says Elizabeth Buller, President and CEO of the St. Joseph’s Health System. “Mark embodies our mission to serve with compassion while inspiring excellence. His collaborative leadership style will undoubtedly benefit the broader community, not just the patients and staff of St. Mary’s,” says Buller.
Mark joins St. Mary’s from Michael Garron Hospital where he is currently the Vice President, Clinical Programs, and before that as the Vice President, Corporate Services at Health Quality Ontario. A Certified Health Executive, Mark has a broad base of industry knowledge based on his 20+ years working in the health system, where he developed expertise in health system strategy, operations and planning, service integration, community engagement, and quality improvement at the local and regional levels. Mark also contributes to new learners in the health system through his work as an Assistant Professor with the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, and Associate Professor at the Rotman School of Management, at the University of Toronto.
Interim President Sherri Ferguson is set to retire in March 2023, and she is thanked for her tremendous commitment to St. Mary’s General Hospital during her tenure, and in her prior roles. We warmly welcome Mark to St. Mary’s and Waterloo Region.
As we observe the second official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, September 30, it is important that we recognize this day as an opportunity to pause and reflect on the trauma and legacy of the residential school system in Canada. By joining the national community in observing this day, we acknowledge how integral it is for Catholic healthcare institutions to ensure we are continuously seeking ways to be thoughtful, considerate and compassionate in how we serve our community in providing high-quality patient care.
Background on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Orange Shirt Day began in 2013, when Phyllis Webstad, from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, first told her story of attending residential school, where the new orange shirt her grandmother had given her for school was stripped from her. Since that day, September 30 has been recognized across Canada as Orange Shirt Day, an opportunity to discuss in a meaningful way the effects of residential schools.
In 2021, the Government of Canada legislated September 30 as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It follows one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) recommendations, which calls for the government to work with Indigenous people to develop a day to “honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
There is still work to be done
This summer, Pope Francis apologized to Indigenous residential school survivors in Maskwacis, Alberta, following a visit to the former site of the Ermineskin Indian Residential School. During his visit, he said, “We want to walk together, to pray together and to work together, so that the sufferings of the past can lead to a future of justice, healing and reconciliation.”
Pope Francis’ apology can be found HERE
As further unmarked graves continue to be discovered, such as the recent 43 discovered at the former Mohawk Residential School, St. Joseph’s Health System remains committed to working alongside the Catholic healthcare community towards justice, healing and reconciliation.
In its statement last week, the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada acknowledged the difficult truth about the history and impact on the health status of Indigenous Peoples, and the journey we seek to build trust and work towards transformative change for Indigenous People receiving care within the Catholic health system in Canada.
What you can do
I invite and encourage our St. Joseph’s Health System family to join in this journey toward justice, healing and reconciliation.
- Many of our organizations have created opportunities for healthcare workers to learn more. Please seek these out.
- Show your support – wear an orange shirt and/or buy an Orange Shirt button to demonstrate your interest and support.
Listen. Learn. These are small but tangible steps to continue building bridges toward reconciliation.
Support and resources
We recognize that this may be a difficult time, and a time of reflection for Indigenous staff, patients and families. This is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on our relationship with Indigenous Peoples, to educate ourselves about Canada’s history, and take advantage of available educational resources. These are some resources to become better informed.
- Read the 2015 Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the Calls to Action.
- Learn about Indigenous knowledge, experiences, and perspectives by participating in the Indigenous Cultural Safety Collaborative Learning Series.
- Learn more about our country’s treatment of Indigenous people. The University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies offers a free online course that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out. Supports available include:
- The Hope for Wellness Help Line, which offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada at 1-855-242-3310.
- A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line provides support for former students and those affected. Access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line at 1-866-925-4419.
Ms. Liz Buller
President and CEO
St. Joseph’s Health System