Philanthropist and founder and CEO of Mattamy Homes Peter Gilgan dons a lab coat after announcing a $40-million donation to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto Mar. 7, 2012.Moe Doiron/The Globe and Mail
The Hospital for Sick Children announced a $40-million donation on Wednesday, which the Toronto hospital says is the largest single private donation ever made to a children's hospital in Canada.
The donation from Peter Gilgan, founder and CEO of Mattamy Homes, will go toward the hospital's construction and operating costs of the Centre for Research and Learning. The $400-million facility is slated to open in August, 2013.
"It certainly is an extraordinary gift," Mary Jo Haddad, president and CEO of SickKids, said in an interview. "It's an extraordinary project."
She said the new 21-storey centre, which is under construction at the corner of Bay and Elm streets, will impact children's health care on a national and international scale. There will be greater synergy among the 2,000 scientists, trainees and researchers working out of the building, she said, and bring together staff who are now working in six different buildings.
Mr. Gilgan and his company have run events and raised money for SickKids in the past.
"I have been a friend of SickKids for many years and know first-hand the critical and innovative work they do every day," Mr. Gilgan said in a statement. "I feel privileged to be able to play a significant role in advancing the research and learning in children's health that will not only benefit my grandchildren, it will benefit many children around the world."
In 2010, at the research centre's groundbreaking, the hospital foundation launched a $200-million fundraising campaign. Including Mr. Gilgan's donation, $105-million has been given by individuals, corporations and foundations. The federal and provincial governments have contributed $150-million, SickKids said.