UHN Announces Purchase of 522 University Avenue
New Building to Support Continued Growth for Cancer Care, Research and Education
TORONTO, Dec. 20, 2024 /CNW/ - University Health Network (UHN), Canada's leading research hospital, is growing to meet the health care needs of the future. Today, UHN announced the purchase of 522 University Avenue, a 15-storey building located at the southwest corner of University Avenue and Elm Street in the heart of Toronto's Discovery District.
The newly acquired property will support the expansion of UHN programs in cancer care, research and education at UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Toronto General Hospital. The building 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 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," said Dr. Kevin Smith, President & CEO, UHN. "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."
"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," said Premier Doug Ford. "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, and a centralized Cancer Digital Intelligence team to optimize care through advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence.
"Ontarians deserve to be connected to the high-quality care they need, when and where they need it," said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "This new space will continue to expand UHN's capacity for groundbreaking cancer research and innovative treatments, to provide more people with the right care, in the right place."
"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. UHN's Toronto General Hospital is Canada's leading surgical oncology hospital and ranked No. 3 hospital in the world.
Funds to support operations of the building 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, The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. "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, 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 as well as several community-based sites across the Greater Toronto Area.
UHN is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the UHN Foundation, PMCF and Colliers to complete the acquisition of this building.
Supplied Visual Assets
Kindly credit University Health Network
- B-roll: 522 University captured by drone:
https://vimeo.com/1039804607/8d8564cebf?share=copy - Stills: 522 University aerial shots:
https://fileshare.uhn.ca/download/866031dc-e98e-4b59-966b-9ac2fd3e49cd
About University Health Network (UHN)
UHN is Canada's No. 1 hospital and the world's No. 1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members. UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education, and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. www.uhn.ca
About the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF)
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is Canada's largest cancer charity. We're dedicated to raising funds for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment centres, known for its breakthrough discoveries that transform patient outcomes. Together, our work benefits cancer patients everywhere in our mission to create a world free from the fear of cancer. Through philanthropy, fundraising events, and our world-leading lottery program, we're changing how the world understands, prevents, diagnoses, and treats cancer, benefitting patients at The Princess Margaret, throughout Canada, and around the world. www.thepmcf.ca
SOURCE University Health Network
Media Contacts: Ana Fernandes, Manager, External Communications, University Health Network, Email: [email protected], M: 437-216-4597; Marina Jimenez, Director Communications, UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre & Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Email: [email protected], M: 416-918-7313
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