Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital officially opens as a system solution to fight COVID-19

Vaughan, ON (February 7, 2021) — Today, Mackenzie Health officially opened its Vaughan hospital — Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital — with an exclusive focus on creating additional ICU and acute care capacity to help address the surge in COVID-19 cases in Ontario. By opening in this way, Mackenzie Health will help alleviate capacity pressures faced by Ontario hospitals as they manage near full ICUs and increasing COVID-19 cases.

“Mackenzie Health is proud to provide a unique system solution in our collective fight against COVID-19,” said Mackenzie Health President and CEO Altaf Stationwala. “With the opening of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, our exclusive focus at this time is on creating additional space to care for critical and acute care patients, and to provide relief to our overstretched health care system. The province needed us to open Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital in this way, and we’ve answered that call.”

Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital was slated to open as a full-service hospital today, however due to the alarming capacity pressures being felt by Ontario hospitals, the opening instead focused on adding 35 ICU beds and 150 general internal medicine beds to the system. The Emergency Department at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital is closed at this time and other programs and services planned to move to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital – including Woman and Child, Inpatient Mental Health and Inpatient Integrated Stroke – will remain at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital for now. Once the system stabilizes, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital will fully open to the community as originally planned. The Emergency Department at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital remains open to the support the community, as it always has.

“Mackenzie Health is able to take on this very important role today for our health care system because of the incredible staff, physicians and volunteers who have, without hesitation, stepped forward to make this a reality,” said Dr. Steven Jackson, Vice President, Medical Planning and Chief of Staff at Mackenzie Health. “For years, they have been preparing to open our second hospital and because of all of their tremendous dedication, nimbleness, resilience and determination, we can adapt in this way to support other hospitals across the province during this pandemic.”

Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital was purposefully built with mostly single patient rooms which allow for enhanced infection prevention and control protocols and technological advances that make it Canada’s first smart hospital. It is also located right off Highway 400, in close proximity to the hardest hit regions in the province — York, Peel and Toronto.

“I want to thank Mackenzie Health for stepping up to support our response to COVID-19 and taking pressure off other hospitals in the region at this critical time,” said the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. “Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital is the first net new hospital built in Ontario in over 30 years and represents another important step towards ending hallway health care in the province.”

The Ontario government invested $1.3 billion towards the $1.7 billion Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital project. The local share, required to help cover costs for technology and medical equipment as well as a portion of the construction costs, continues to be supported by the generosity of the community through the Ultimate campaign. To date, the campaign has raised more than $180 million of the $250 million goal.

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Additional Quotes

“The citizens of Vaughan have long-awaited the day when our first hospital would open, and it is with great pride that we recognize this momentous milestone. I am so proud that the world-class Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital is making a meaningful and profoundly important contribution to Ontario’s health care system during these challenging times. I want to recognize the Mackenzie Health team, our partners in all levels of government, and the incredible generosity of our community supporters, all of whom have helped make today possible.”

-          Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor of Vaughan and Chair of the Ultimate campaign

“Ontario’s frontline health care workers have gone above and beyond to care for their patients, and today, I would like to thank the team at Mackenzie Health for their incredible contribution to the province’s pandemic response. Our government is grateful for the ongoing collaboration with our hospitals and health sector partners in the fight against COVID-19."

-          Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health

"I could not be more proud of the front-line staff on the Mackenzie Health Team, our city and the families of King-Vaughan for stepping up to save lives. Opening Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital remains our government’s most pressing local priority — delivering exceptional care in the heart of our community — while also supporting our province as we recover from this pandemic.”

-          Stephen Lecce, MPP for King-Vaughan

"Today is a historic day for the City of Vaughan, York Region, and the people and families of Vaughan-Woodbridge. As Mackenzie Health opens the doors to the new Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, staff will begin their important work to address the surge in patients across the health care system due to COVID-19. Once this important work is completed, residents across York Region will have access to everything from world-class medical technologies to the finest mental health care available. The opening of Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital – Ontario's first net new hospital in over 30 years – means people and families right here in our community will have access to the highest-quality health care close to home.”

-          Michael Tibollo, MPP for Vaughan-Woodbridge

About Mackenzie Health

Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional health care provider which includes Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and a comprehensive network of community-based services. In March 2017, Mackenzie Health received its second consecutive award of Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian health care provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. With more than 550,000 residents in western York Region, Mackenzie Health is proud to serve one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada. For more information, please visit mackenziehealth.ca 

Media contact:
Christina Cindric
Senior Communications Consultant, Mackenzie Health
christina.cindric@mackenziehealth.ca

905-883-1212, ext. 7490