The Heart of Giving #3: Why We’re Raising $80 Million for Our New Hospital
When people hear that communities are responsible for “10% of the cost of a new hospital,” it sounds simple enough. But in Ontario, that phrase carries a much deeper meaning: one that explains exactly why Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation is in the middle of an $80 million fundraising campaign, and why your support is essential to making our redevelopment possible.
Across Ontario, every hospital redevelopment follows the same rule: thankfully, the Province funds the majority of construction, but local communities must fund the “local share.” This includes 10% of the construction cost plus 100% of all furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Everything from stretchers and monitors to diagnostic technology, surgical lights, and the beds patients sleep in.
For Stevenson Memorial Hospital, the redevelopment project is valued at $405 million with the building and its construction representing $325 million of that. Our community’s 10% portion of the bricks‑and‑mortar construction is significant on its own. But when you add the full cost of equipping a modern hospital (technology that must meet today’s standards and tomorrow’s demands), the total local share rises to $80 million. That is the number we must raise together.
This model isn’t new. It’s the same approach used in Barrie, Collingwood, Newmarket, and every other Ontario community that has built or expanded a hospital. It reflects a simple truth: hospitals belong to the people they serve. They are shaped by local priorities, strengthened by local leadership, and sustained by local generosity.
And here in New Tecumseth, Essa, Adjala‑Tosorontio and surrounding areas, that generosity is already making a profound difference.
Community support is the reason our Hospital construction has begun. It is the reason the Province has confidence in our ability to deliver a modern, safe, fully equipped hospital. It is the reason we are building a new Emergency Department three times its present size, expanded diagnostic imaging including our first MRI, improved birthing and child care with attached operating theatre, and inpatient spaces designed for dignity and healing; all in private rooms and washrooms. Every gift, whether from a family, a business, a foundation, a service club, or a municipal partner, signals that this region believes in its future and is willing to invest in it.
When you contribute to the Foundation, you are not simply helping to buy equipment. You are helping to build the capacity our hospital needs for the future. You are helping bring modern tools, technology and spaces to our community. You are helping give our care teams the resources they need to care for patients today and into the future. And you are helping keep high-quality care close to home for generations to come. Most importantly, you are helping to build a hospital that reflects the strength, compassion, and determination of the people it serves.
The $80 million local share is a large number, but it is also a shared responsibility and opportunity. Together, we can deliver a hospital that meets the needs of our growing communities for decades to come. Together, we can build a future where care is timely, technology is modern, and every patient receives the dignity they deserve. This is our moment. With your support, redevelopment of our Hospital is becoming a reality.
Board Chair: Fayaaz Kala | CEO: Dr. Ted Vandevis