Ottawa Hospital Foundation raises $396 million for new campus site, but final price tag still unknown

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation is nearing its $500 million goal to help build the new Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. CTV’s Leah Larocque reports.

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation says it has reached a significant milestone in its fundraising efforts to help build a new Civic Campus on Carling Avenue.

The foundation hit $396 million out of its $500 million goal; about 80% of the target.

Ottawa Hospital Foundation president and CEO Tim Kluke says, “We are so grateful that the community has stepped up in such a generous way.”

He says in the period between November to December the foundation had more than 6,000 individuals make donations to this campaign.

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Kluke says the money will go directly to development of the new Civic Campus. Kluke says, “There are elements of this new hospital that the government doesn’t fund, specifically all of the equipment, all of the technology and innovation that goes on this new hospital has to be funded by the hospital. That’s where philanthropy comes into play. Supporting all of that innovation, that equipment, but also in some of the physical spaces, research space, other areas of the hospital.”.

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation launched the $500-million Campaign to Create Tomorrow in April 2022, saying the new hospital will “transform healthcare not only in our community and across the country, but around the world.”

The new campus was originally expected to open in 2029, and the original price tag was $2.8 billion.

But that price tag is expected to be much higher and there is no date for opening.

The Ottawa Hospital confirms to CTV News it is “currently working with partners to finalize the hospital’s design, cost and construction schedule. After this phase of planning, we’ll be able to share a clearer timeline for opening.”

It also isn’t clear if the city of Ottawa will be contributing $150 million. In 2022, a city report stated the Ottawa Hospital had requested a “one-time municipal local share contribution” of up to $150 million to support the new hospital development.

In a statement to CTV News, the city’s chief financial officer Cyril Rogers says, “In 2022, City Council approved the financial framework and guiding principles for developing a response to the Ottawa Hospital’s $150 million request. Staff were directed to review and report back with options to fund the municipal portion of the local share contribution of the new Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. While timing of this report is not yet confirmed, staff will be reporting back to Council when the options review and analysis are complete.”

Kluke says more details will be shared in the near future.

“It is too early to give a definitive number on the final cost or the timeline of the new campus, but what I can say is we have the Ministry of Health, Infrastructure Ontario, the joint venture, who’s going to build the hospital and the hospital all at the table going through all of the final details and plan.”

As for their fundraising goal, Kluke says, “We are not out of business when we hit 500. It’s an incredible number. And as of right now, that’s the number we’re focused on.”

To donate to the Campaign to Create Tomorrow, click here.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle