Royal Ottawa launches $75 million fundraising campaign to support mental illness and addiction care

The Royal launched its new fundraising campaign on Tuesday to accelerate mental illness and addiction care in Canada. CTV’s Peter Szperling reports.

The Royal Ottawa received a historic donation to kick off its $75 million Lives Reclaimed fundraising campaign to accelerate mental illness and addiction care in Ottawa.

The Royal launched its new fundraising campaign on Tuesday as part of Mental Health Week in Canada.

“For too many people, the path to care is delayed, fragmented, or out of reach—Lives Reclaimed aims to change that,” the Royal said in a media release.

“Marking a pivotal step forward, the initiative calls for increased access and improved outcomes so more people can reclaim not just their health, but their stability, relationships, and sense of self.”

The Lives Reclaimed campaign will support the opening of a new Urgent Care Clinic at the Royal to provide short-term mental illness crisis support, support the development of biomarkers to help prevent “the next suicide,” and increase the use of brain imaging to personalize treatments.

“This is a historic moment for The Royal and for everyone who needs timely mental illness and addiction care,” Cara Vaccarino, president and CEO of the Royal, said in a statement.

“With one in three Canadians experiencing mental illness, delays remain far too common. Lives Reclaimed represents an urgent turning point—helping us reach more people sooner, strengthen evidence‑based care, and remind individuals and families that they are more than their illness and recovery is possible.”

Waverley House Foundation started the campaign with a $14 million lead gift to the Royal Ottawa; the largest single donation made in Ottawa to support mental illness and addiction care.

The foundation is also issuing a 15,000 new donations challenge to the public to help raise an additional $1 million.

“The number reflects the 15,000 people The Royal serves each year, reinforcing the idea that every donation—no matter the size—represents a person, a life, and a step toward recovery,” the Royal said.

The founder of Waverley House Foundation says “we’ve waited too long already” to support mental illness and addiction.

“The need for mental health care is urgent; it touches every community,” Bruce McKean said.

“When we act together—quickly and collectively—barriers to care will be reduced and more individuals helped at the moment they need it most.”

McKean told CTV News the Waverley House Foundation is supporting the Royal because it’s a “good research institution.”

“Everything is oriented towards research and new ideas and new ways of treating people with greater success,” McKean said.

The president and CEO of the Royal Foundation says the $14 million donation from Waverley House Foundation will be used in “two really important ways.”

“To recruit new research leaders that can help unlock the mysteries of the mind and accelerate their discoveries into care,” Chris Ide said.

“And a brand new accelerator program for researchers as well, to help recruit the best and brightest talent to Ottawa, and really invest in their careers and help them ask the hardest questions in mental illness and addiction.”

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Peter Szperling

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