Corp Comm Connects

Mayor Bevilacqua Makes A Historic Announcement at the 2019 Mayor's Gala

Cortellucci family makes historic $40-million donation to new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital

Newswire.com
June 14, 2019
City of Vaughan

It gives me immense pleasure to officially announce that the Cortellucci family has donated a historic $40 million toward building the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said in a keynote address to an audience of nearly 1,000 people during the 2019 Mayor's Gala.

Mayor Bevilacqua announces that the Cortellucci family has donated a historic $40 million toward building the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital.

Mayor Bevilacqua chairs the $250-million Mackenzie Health Foundation's Exceptional Care Belongs Here Campaign. More than $160 million have been raised toward constructing Vaughan's first hospital. "The Cortellucci family's donation marks the largest single contribution in Mackenzie Health's history," Mayor Bevilacqua said.

The Cortellucci family has an admirable, selfless and extensive history of giving back to ensure Vaughan has a bright and promising future. In July 2018, Mayor Bevilacqua hosted a special ceremony at Vaughan City Hall to announce the Cortellucci family had stepped forward with a $3-million donation that will go toward building the Hospice Vaughan – Mario & Nick Cortellucci Hospice Palliative Care Centre of Excellence. Mayor Bevilacqua also chairs Hospice Vaughan's A Better Ending Capital Campaign.

In January 2019, Mayor Bevilacqua was joined by the Cortellucci family to announce the expansion of Niagara University's new campus to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the city's emerging downtown core. It is located walking distance from the VMC TTC subway station and further connected by vivaNext bus rapid transit service. Niagara University is the first university in Vaughan and York Region. 

Cranes tower over the 1.2-million square foot Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital site, which can house up to 550 beds. The new hospital is a $1.6-billion initiative. It will employ over 1,800 full-time hospital staff and be the first in Canada to feature fully integrated smart technology systems and medical devices that can speak directly to one another to maximize patient care. Last fall, Mayor Bevilacqua, Members of Council and the community marked the hospital topping-off ceremony to celebrate reaching the highest point of construction and moving closer to opening the hospital in late 2020.

The 2019 Mayor's Gala theme is #WeAreVaughan. It represents pride of citizenship and the knowledge that all people have an important and enduring role in creating a city that is admired across the country and around the world. Since 2011, the efforts and events of Mayor Bevilacqua's Spirit of Generosity commitment have raised more than $70 million. Proceeds have gone to help over 200 not-for-profit and community organizations that play a vital role in shaping the City of Vaughan.

QUOTES

"The 2019 Mayor's Gala is a momentous occasion. This year's gala will be remembered, cherished and celebrated as another important milestone embodying the work we have undertaken to ensure people have access to modern, quality and world-class front-line healthcare. Vaughan is blessed to be the destination of choice for so many families who have chosen to make Canada their home. Like many men and women who immigrated to Canada, the Cortellucci family have spent their lives giving back, helping all people, especially our most vulnerable citizens. Their exceptional generosity and support for the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital is an example of what we can achieve when we work together. The Cortellucci family are philanthropic leaders and Vaughan's first-ever hospital will stand as a testament to their inspiring legacy of unwavering public service."
- Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

"Our family's journey is one that embodies the immigrant experience. It is to work hard, do your best, contribute and share your blessings. We are especially grateful to the Vaughan community that we have called home for the last 25 years. And, we are humbled to contribute to the Vaughan Hospital, Canada's first 'smart' hospital. By planting these seeds, we are helping a community and the members within it to flourish."
- Mario Cortellucci on behalf of the Cortellucci family

"Today's announcement is a major step forward in building the 'smart' hospital our community deserves. We're grateful to the Cortellucci family for their leadership, generosity and commitment to improving the health and wellness of all patients and their families in York Region and the promise of care close to home it inspires."
- Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health

QUICK FACTS