A groundbreaking collaboration puts healthcare in Vaughan at the forefront

Oct. 2, 2019 1:00 p.m.
City of Vaughan leads first-of-its-kind partnership with Mackenzie Health, York University and ventureLAB

In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Vaughan, the City is leading a collaboration to transform an 82-acre parcel of land at Jane Street and Major Mackenzie Drive into the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed today between the City of Vaughan, York University, Mackenzie Health and ventureLAB to identify transformational opportunities to maximize the best use of lands surrounding the site of the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital through a feasibility study.
 
The feasibility study will determine how best to create a world-class health experience and explore various options, including a new space for ventureLAB to expand and create another regional innovation hub in Vaughan and opportunities for Mackenzie Health to collaborate with York University in the area of academic health sciences.
 
The goal of this unique collaboration is for the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct to leverage resources to bring healthcare, innovation and jobs to this growing community. This site has the potential to be a place that will connect people and spaces and bring together different sectors to become an epicentre of healthcare excellence in the city.
 
QUOTES

“Creating opportunities for improved services in our city ultimately comes down to effective partnerships. The value added from each stakeholder will enable the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct to move forward. This feasibility study is an illustration of how partnerships can be truly effective when values, principles and beliefs are perfectly aligned. The new state-of-the-art Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital will be a catalyst for other uses, like medical offices, labs and research space, healthcare incubators, and education and conference rooms related to healthcare. This is where thought leaders, subject matter experts and innovators will come together to advance a shared vision of healthcare innovation. This transformational collaboration will benefit the healthcare of residents of Vaughan and beyond.”
-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
 
“York University is delighted to be part of this unique opportunity to explore how we can work with the City of Vaughan, Mackenzie Health, and ventureLAB to develop a world-class healthcare precinct in the centre of Vaughan. This initiative has the potential to increase the experiential learning opportunities available to students and to strengthen our ability to lead multi-sector, collaborative and community-engaged research projects that could improve the health and well-being of communities around the world. Health is one of York University’s fastest growing areas of study, research and community engagement. We have 10,000 students in health and health science programs and thousands more in related fields such as engineering, science, the environment, law, social science, business and the arts. We look forward to contributing our expertise to the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct feasibility study.”
-Rhonda L. Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor, York University
 
“Today, we’re celebrating an exciting community partnership led by the City of Vaughan. Partnerships are what will make it possible for the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital to deliver the ultimate in world-class care to York Region residents when it opens. As we work together to define the possibilities for the lands around the new hospital in a way that brings investment, innovation and jobs to the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct, we will further enhance the level of care we’re able to provide the communities we serve as Canada’s first ‘smart’ hospital.”
-Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health
 
“ventureLAB is excited to be a part of the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct. As a leading technology hub located in York Region, Canada's second-largest tech cluster, we have supported over 350 Canadian health tech companies build-to-scale and go global. This initiative reinforces the region's expertise in health and technology and will create meaningful, impactful opportunities for start-ups and scale-ups while improving healthcare for Canadians. We look forward to collaborating with York University, Mackenzie Health, and the City of Vaughan.”
-Melissa Chee, President and CEO, ventureLAB
 
QUICK FACTS
 
  • The signing partners involved in the MOU guiding the feasibility study are the City of Vaughan, York University, Mackenzie Health and ventureLAB.   
  • The purpose of the feasibility study is to bring together community partners to identify transformational opportunities to maximize the highest and best use of lands surrounding the site of the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital – which are known as the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct.
  • The study will identify strategies to generate economic opportunities, research innovation, training and development and enhance the delivery of modern front-line healthcare for patients.
  • Following the study, a comprehensive action plan that outlines opportunities, costs and strategies for unleashing the potential of the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct will be presented.
  • The anticipated cost to complete the study is $210,000. The City of Vaughan is funding the study, approved by City Council as part of the 2019 Budget approval process.
  • By fall 2019, a consultant will be retained to undertake the study. The successful consultant will be obtained through an open, competitive and accountable procurement process overseen by the City of Vaughan. The study is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2020.
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Signing partners: Melissa Chee, President and CEO, ventureLAB, Rhonda L. Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor, York University, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mark Falbo, Chair of the Board, Mackenzie Health.

Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Members of Council and signing partners mark the formalization of the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct MOU.

 
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