Vaughan, ON (Sept. 29, 2025) – Today, at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, Mackenzie Health and Southlake Health announced a new partnership to expand access to advanced cardiac care in York Region. This multi-year, phased collaboration will begin by establishing a pacemaker device clinic at Mackenzie Health, offering patients timely, high-quality care even closer to home.
“This collaboration is an important milestone for the patients we serve in this fast-growing region,” said Mary-Agnes Wilson, Interim President and CEO, Mackenzie Health. “By partnering with Southlake’s cardiac experts, we can expand advanced heart services, ease the travel burden for patients and families and ensure timely, specialized care in our own community.”
When patients think of advanced cardiac care, they often consider large academic hospitals in Toronto. However, as a Level 7 Regional Cardiac Program, Southlake is nationally and internationally recognized for its innovation in patient care and clinical research – delivering leading edge cardiac care expected downtown, closer to home. This new partnership will extend expertise, making it even more convenient for patients to access a specialized pacemaker clinic, and in future stages, implantable device clinics in their own communities.
“As a leading provider of cardiac care, Southlake is committed to expanding access to lifesaving services through strategic partnerships,” said Dr. Paul Woods, President and CEO, Southlake Health. “By working together with Mackenzie Health, we can ensure more patients receive timely, high-quality cardiac care while supporting the growth of specialized services in the region.”
By teaming up, Southlake and Mackenzie Health will strengthen cardiac services in York Region, increase capacity and lay the groundwork for a Level 4 cardiac centre of excellence at Mackenzie Health.
A memorandum of understanding was signed earlier today outlining key principles for collaboration, including:
- Supporting each other’s efforts to provide world-class cardiac care
- Enhancing capacity at both organizations
- Setting joint performance targets to measure care quality and efficiency
- Exploring joint ventures to strengthen cardiac services
In addition to the new pacemaker clinic, the partnership will gradually add more advanced heart services at Mackenzie Health over the coming years. These services are already available at Southlake and expanding them locally will make it easier for patients and families to access the care they need.
Future phases are expected to include pacemaker and defibrillator insertion procedures, as well as a catheterization laboratory with state-of-the-art tools to allow for angiograms to detect blockages or narrowing and interventions such as angioplasty and stent placements to open blocked arteries. All of this will follow Ontario Health’s established framework and approval process, ensuring services grow in a way that is safe, co-ordinated, and aligned with provincial standards.
As part of this collaboration, Southlake Health will provide education and training for Mackenzie Health staff and physicians at every leg of the journey.
“This partnership is an exciting step forward in cardiac care for our region,” said Dr. Christopher Overgaard, Chief of Cardiac Health, Southlake Health. “By working together, we can ensure patients have access to leading-edge treatments and technology, improving outcomes and enhancing quality of life for patients.”
At its core, this collaboration is about finding new ways to meet the needs of patients in this fast-growing region.
“Together, we can ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place,” said Dr. Alexander Crystal, Chief of Cardiology, Mackenzie Health. “We are excited to see how this collaboration will strengthen our capacity, support physician and staff development and ultimately improve outcomes for patients across our communities.”
- Learn more about the Southlake Regional Cardiac Centre.
- Learn more about Mackenzie Health’s cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation program
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Media contacts:
Lindsey Furlanic
Communications Strategist, Southlake Health
289-221-9014
lfurlanic@southlake.ca
Christina Cindric
Senior Communications Consultant and Public Affairs Lead, Mackenzie Health
905-883-1212 ext. 7490
christina.cindric@mackenziehealth.ca
About Southlake Health
For 100 years and counting, Southlake Health has built healthy communities through leading edge care with an unwavering pride for people, place and performance. Over the years, Southlake Health has evolved into one of Canada’s top healthcare organizations. It is more than a single centre. Southlake Health is a network of expertise, compassion and excellence that delivers health and wellness, close to home.
With 6,000 staff, medical staff, volunteers and learners, as well as an operating budget in excess of $600 million, Southlake Health operates several sites to deliver care to patients across northern York Region and southern Simcoe County. It also provides specialized cardiac and cancer care to patients as far north as Muskoka and as far south as North York through its regional programs.
Southlake Health is committed to growing alongside the communities its serves. State-of-the-art technologies, advanced research and the latest techniques help patients in every stage of life. In a recognition of its commitment to quality and patient safety, Southlake Health has received the highest distinction of Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for the past 16 years. Known as a pioneer in innovative integrated care initiatives, the Southlake@home program has spread across Ontario to ensure care is always within reach.
With support from its communities, Southlake Health will continue to save lives, push boundaries and bring care closer to home for people today and for generations to come. Help us do more by donating at southlake.ca/foundation.
About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional health care provider. Mackenzie Health includes Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, each with a full-service emergency department, core services such as surgery, medicine, critical care and medical imaging, along with specialized and regional programs.
Its community-based locations and services provide additional support to western York Region and beyond. In December 2023, the organization maintained its 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. Mackenzie Health is proud to serve western York Region, one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada with more than 550,000 residents. For more information, please visit www.mackenziehealth.ca.
Mary-Agnes Wilson, Interim President and CEO at Mackenzie Health, announces a new partnership between Mackenzie Health and Southlake Health to expand access to advanced cardiac care in York Region at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital on Sept. 29, 2025
Mary-Agnes Wilson, Interim President and CEO at Mackenzie Health, and Dr. Paul Woods, President and CEO at Southlake Health sign a Memorandum of Understanding outlining key principles for collaboration as the two hospitals work together to expand advanced cardiac care in York Region.
Local government representatives join Mackenzie Health and Southlake Health leadership to celebrate the beginning of a new partnership to expand access to advanced cardiac care in York Region.
Top (from left): Steven Del Duca, Mayor of Vaughan, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket-Aurora, Daisy Wai, MPP for Richmond Hill, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines and MPP for King-Vaughan
Seated (from left): Mary-Agnes Wilson, Interim President and CEO at Mackenzie Health, and Dr. Paul Woods, President and CEO at Southlake Health