UHN has purchased a 15-storey building in Toronto's Discovery District to support the expansion of programs in cancer care, research and education at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Toronto General Hospital.
The newly acquired building, located at the southwest corner of University Avenue and Elm Street, will also serve as another important training ground for health care learners from UHN's Michener Institute of Education and partner academic institutions.
UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has experienced growing patient volumes and has reached capacity. The new building creates additional space for UHN, Canada's leading research hospital, to pursue new clinical and research breakthroughs in cancer, develop innovative treatments and technologies, enhance adoption of artificial intelligence and educate the next generation of cancer experts, and ultimately set new standards of cancer care that will improve outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.
"The demand for cancer diagnosis and treatment continues to surge here in Canada and around the world," Dr. Kevin Smith, President & CEO of UHN, told a news conference in the building on Friday, Dec. 20. "At UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, we serve close to 19,000 new patients every year and this number is growing.
"The addition of 522 University Avenue increases our capacity to drive innovation and research in cancer prevention, early cancer detection, diagnostics and treatment, as well enable the introduction of new and expanded programs at UHN."
Premier Doug Ford, who attended the news conference, said, "while far too many families across Ontario are affected by cancer each year, UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is there to provide life-saving care."
"This latest expansion will help UHN continue delivering cutting-edge treatments, drive groundbreaking innovations and train the next generation of doctors and researchers, ensuring Ontario patients are connected to the best possible cancer care right here at home."
Possible services located at 522 University Avenue may include:
- Enhanced supportive care, including in cancer mental health;
- An Early Cancer Detection program with increased focus on cancer prevention and the molecular diagnosis and treatment of cancer;
- A new Prostate Cancer Centre to ensure optimal care for the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men;
- A centralized Cancer Digital Intelligence team to optimize care through advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence.
"By strategically relocating specific teams and creating new programs, we will be positioned to manage the significant growth in cancer diagnosis and cancer curability in the decades to come," said Dr. Keith Stewart, Vice President, Clinical Services & Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is Canada's leading cancer centre and one of the top five cancer research centres in the world. UHN's Toronto General Hospital is Canada's leading surgical oncology hospital and ranked the No. 3 hospital in the world.
UHN's purchase price of the building was $79.25 million. Funds to support its operation will be supported, in part, by The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF).
"Our role at the Foundation is to support the Princess Margaret's vision to lead the world in understanding, preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer to accelerate a world free from the fear of cancer, benefitting not only patients at The Princess Margaret, but across Canada and globally," said Dr. Miyo Yamashita, President & CEO of The PMCF.
"The acquisition of 522 University Avenue will create brighter tomorrows for cancer patients everywhere."
The addition of 522 University Avenue adds to UHN's extensive footprint in the heart of Toronto's Discovery District, which also includes Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Michener Institute of Education, as well as significant research capacity within the MaRs building. UHN is also home to the Toronto Western Hospital, West Park Healthcare Centre and several community-based sites across the Greater Toronto Area.
UHN is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, UHN Foundation and Colliers to complete the acquisition of this building.
