Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct

In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Vaughan, the City is leading a partnership with Mackenzie Health, York University and ventureLAB to transform the lands surrounding Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital into an epicentre of healthcare excellence. The VHCP will be a world-class destination for excellence in health research, education, innovation and commercialization. This unique partnership aims to bring cutting-edge innovation, economic growth and new jobs to Vaughan. Collectively, the expertise and physical co-location of each member organization in the partnership provides an opportunity to leverage cross-disciplinary knowledge and produce the next generation of healthcare delivery, health talent and health technologies.

After a decade-long journey, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital opened its doors as a full-service community hospital in 2021. It is Canada’s first smart hospital, leveraging integrated technology systems and digital communication to provide world-class healthcare and a truly connected patient experience. It serves as the anchor of the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct and a critical launchpad for driving cutting-edge healthcare delivery, education and innovation.

The development of the VHCP will solidify Vaughan as a destination of choice for students, talent, and businesses in the health and health technology sectors. The City is advancing the next stage of the VHCP partnership by allocating land at the site to establish the physical presence of York University and ventureLAB in Vaughan, as well as supporting the expansion of Mackenzie Health.  This represents a significant milestone in transforming the corner of Major Mackenzie Dr and Hwy 400 into a world-class health and healthcare innovation hub. Plans include York U’s proposal to establish a new health research, innovation, and teaching facility in Vaughan, as well as the establishment of a long-term care facility, future expansion of the Cortelluci Vaughan Hospital, and relocation of the ventureLAB MedTech Hardware Catalyst Initiative to support the next generation of healthcare delivery.

The City of Vaughan, Mackenzie Health, York University and ventureLAB are collaborating to advance work in four areas:

  1. Translating research and innovation to policy and practice;
  2. Leveraging data analytics and machine learning to advance quality and efficiency of care;
  3. Development and commercialization of health technologies; and
  4. Preparing the healthcare and health tech workforce of the future.

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WATCH: Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct

project history

In October 2019 the City of Vaughan entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with York University, Mackenzie Health and ventureLAB to undertake a feasibility study to identify the best use of lands surrounding the site of the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, known as the Vaughan Health Centre Precinct (VCHP).

The consulting consortium for the VHCP Feasibility Study, comprised of UrbanMetrics, Sajecki Consulting, Strategy Corp., and the Lura Group, delivered the final draft of the study to the partnership, highlighting the potential economic and community benefits of a full build-out of the VHCP.

In May 2021, Mayor Bevilacqua issued a statement on behalf of Council welcoming York University’s plans to establish a School of Medicine in Vaughan. In June 2021, Council passed a Member’s Resolution supporting and endorsing the proposal.

Through continued partnership between the City of Vaughan and York University, Council has remained focused on enhancing healthcare services, research and innovation to support the healthcare needs of citizens in Vaughan and beyond.

On June 6, 2021, Cortellucci Vaughan opened as a full-service hospital, creating much-needed health care capacity for York Region and expanding access to care for the local community.

Cortellucci Vaughan is the first hospital to be built in the City of Vaughan, and the first net-new hospital to be built in Ontario in more than 30 years. CVH is also the first smart hospital in Canada, featuring fully integrated smart technology systems and medical devices that can speak directly to one another to maximize information exchange and enable improved patient care. Through modern and proven best practices, the hospital is providing state-of-the-art health care and positive outcomes for patients and their families.

On April 12, 2022, ventureLAB announced a $2.5 million investment from the Government of Ontario to establish a MedTech-specific stream within its Hardware Catalyst Initiative, Canada’s only lab and incubator for hardware and semiconductor companies.

Following the success of the Hardware Catalyst Initiative, ventureLAB will use the new funding to expand the HCI’s capacity and build a new MedTech-specific lab in Vaughan, complete with specialized equipment to facilitate the growth of Ontario-based MedTech companies.

The new MedTech incubator will be located within Vaughan-based Sterling Industries to benefit from its resources, product development and production expertise. As an end-to-end contract manufacturer and assembler of medical devices and components, Sterling Industries is a proven industry leader with manufacturing facilities and distribution channels in the U.S. and Europe. Sterling Industries will bring essential equipment, top technical talent, and industry-leading mentorship to the project.

On April 20, 2022, Mackenzie Health announced support from the provincial government to meet the needs of an aging population in York Region by building a new long-term care home adjacent to CHV.

The new Mackenzie Health Long-Term Care facility will create 256 new long-term care beds in Vaughan to meet the healthcare needs of seniors in the community. Building a new long-term care home in Vaughan on the lands adjacent to the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital will help integrate the long-term care home into the broader health care system and ensure residents have access to the care they need. Construction is expected to start in Winter 2025.

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