2025: An extraordinary year at St. Joe's

We kicked off 2025 celebrating the completed transformation of the Tawse Family Emergency Department. A decade in the making and 100% donor-funded, the project expanded the Emergency Department by 40% and added specialized zones—from the Rainbow Zone for kids to Canada’s first geriatric emergency zone.

A historic $60 million investment from Peter Gilgan helped launch the most significant healthcare transformation in our community in over a century: a new patient care tower at St. Joe’s. On June 24, we celebrated this milestone with community and civic leaders, marking a powerful vote of confidence in the care St. Joe’s provides and the healthier future we’re building for generations to come.

Long-time west-enders and major Canadian philanthropists Rayla and George Myhal are helping drive momentum toward the new patient care tower at St. Joe’s. Their transformative $10 million matching gift—the largest in our history—continues to encourage others to give, doubling impact and helping bring this transformative project closer to reality.

All year long, generous donors stepped forward with matching gifts that helped your generosity go twice as far. From holiday matches by west-end neighbours like Randy and Ravi, to grassroots efforts such as Kai’s school fundraiser—where his mom proudly matched every dollar raised—these gifts rallied our community and helped make your support go further.

Launched through a gift from The Barrett Family Foundation, the Barrett Centre for Quality Improvement (BCQI) is the most ambitious quality improvement program ever undertaken by a Canadian hospital. BCQI provides training and resources for staff, supports projects that make care safer and more efficient, involves patient and families directly in helping shape care, and will share learning to improve care across hospitals.

Olympians, astronauts, and changemakers joined forces this year to champion the new patient care tower and advocate for smarter, faster, and more sustainable care for all. Leaders like Olympian Summer McIntosh (who was born here) and astronaut Chris Hadfield helped shine a spotlight on St. Joe’s, inspiring others to support the future of care in our west-end community.

Our community showed up like never before. Cycle 4 St. Joe’s raised an incredible $550,000, the Fall Classic golf tournament raised over $500,000, and Giving Tuesday set a new record with over $80,000 donated in one day. These record-breaking totals are more than numbers; they’re funding critical programs, and helping transform care for patients and families across St. Joe’s.

Our newly opened 21-bed Reactivation Care Unit helps vulnerable patients transition safely back to the community or to long-term care, promoting independence and reducing hospital readmissions—especially among seniors.

The Ambulatory Care Centre—home to 29 specialty clinics and more than 50,000 appointments each year—is expanding by 30%. Thanks to donors, Phase 1 delivered brighter spaces, standardized exam rooms, and modern finishes. Phase 2 is underway and expected to be complete early this year.

Local businesses, partners, and passionate supporters hosted pop-ups, challenges, movie screenings, and neighbourhood events all year long—each one helping strengthen care at St. Joe’s. Thank you to everyone who showed up for our community.