'Major Milestone' reached with $30-million gift to Mackenzie Health in York Region

Donation tops off $250-million fundraising campaign for Cortellucci Vaughan and Mackenzie Richmond Hill hospitals

Yorkregion.com
June 10, 2022
Kim Zarzour

The largest fundraising drive ever led by a community hospital in Canada has reached a major milestone.

The campaign, raising funds to build and equip Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and enhance care at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, reached its $250-million goal this month with a $30-million commitment from HBNG Holborn Group.

The Vaughan-based investment and real estate management firm was celebrated June 1 by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua at his 2022 Mayor’s Gala.

“I want to express my warmest and sincerest gratitude to John A. D'Angelo, Giuseppe Maio and Claudio Memme for their very generous contribution to Mackenzie Health,” Bevilacqua said in his keynote address. “Thanks to their spirit of generosity, we are building a world-class health care network in York Region."

The decade-long journey to build the country's first smart technology hospital and first net-new hospital in Ontario in 30 years culminated in the opening February 2021, initially to support the provincial COVID-19 response, then as a full-service community hospital on June 6, 2021.

The 1.2-million sq. ft hospital works in tandem with Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital to double access to hospital care for the western York Region community and surrounding areas.

The province of Ontario committed $1.3 billion toward the total $1.7-billion cost of the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital project, and both York Region and the City of Vaughan made significant contributions.

The remaining $250 million was raised through community donations.

“We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate this major milestone and are very grateful for this generosity, which will benefit the people of Vaughan, Richmond Hill, King and neighbouring communities for decades to come," said Altaf Stationwala, Mackenzie Health president and CEO.