Toronto institution the Hospital for Sick Children has been undergoing a rapid expansion in the last few years, including the recent construction of the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning on Bay Street and the start of site prep for the upcoming Patient Support Centre on Elizabeth Street. Yesterday, SickKids announced yet another step in the campus' redevelopment thanks to a gift of $100 million donated by the Peter Gilgan Foundation.

This massive gift will support the SickKids VS Limits campaign, which plans to bring a new high-rise patient care tower to University Avenue. Named in honour of the generous donation, the new building will be known as the Peter Gilgan Family Patient Care Tower. Set to rise at 555 University Avenue, the tower will house critical care and inpatient units, featuring private one-family rooms, dedicated mental-health beds, a state-of-the-art blood and marrow/cellular transplant therapy unit, specialty operating theatres, advanced diagnostic imaging facilities, and a vastly expanded emergency department. 

Peter Gilgan at the future site of the Peter Gilgan Family Patient Care Tower, image courtesy of Sick Kids Foundation

Dr. Ronald Cohn, President and CEO, SickKids said at the announcement on Monday morning that “We are extraordinarily grateful to Peter Gilgan and the Peter Gilgan Foundation for their ongoing philanthropic leadership and dedication to SickKids. Our vision for the children’s hospital of the future includes the construction of a state-of-the-art building, matching our world-class care with family-friendly spaces for patients and their loved ones. This gift is unparalleled and will help ensure our vision becomes reality. In conjunction with a commitment from the Government of Ontario, and support from other donors, this gift will help SickKids continue to advance children’s health through exemplary clinical care, breakthrough research, and teaching excellence both at home and around the world.”

The ongoing SickKids VS Limits campaign has raised more than $914 million towards a goal of $1.3 billion, sourced through support from corporate partners, community organizations, events, individuals and families. The campaign is expected to run through to March 31, 2022.

Peter Gilgan said at the announcement “To continue to have the opportunity to support SickKids is an honour and is also very humbling. I’m in a privileged position to be able to make this gift, and I know it’s going to be used to help children today and in the future live longer and healthier lives. I want to thank my family, both the Gilgans and my Mattamy family, whose unwavering support over many years has made this commitment possible.”

Peter Gilgan and hospital patients, image courtesy of Sick Kids Foundation

With funding in place, SickKids is expecting to break ground on their new Patient Support Centre on Elizabeth Street in October. Once the Patient Support Centre is complete, it will free up space in the existing hospital building at 555 University, allowing work to begin on the new Peter Gilgan Family Patient Care Tower. While there are no details regarding its design available yet, we'll be keeping a close eye out for any updates.

In the meantime, information and images can be found in our database file for SickKids' Patient Support Centre, to be built first, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out our associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.

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