For the first time in 50 years, Centenary Hospital's Emergency Department is undergoing a major redevelopment. Scarborough Health Network (SHN) celebrated this exciting milestone on October 20 with a groundbreaking event at the new Northpine Emergency Department (ED).

The Northpine Foundation’s transformational $20-million gift in 2022 is helping build this new ED, alongside other major improvements to care at SHN. Supported by a provincial investment, along with generous donor support through SHN Foundation’s Love, Scarborough campaign, the project will transform how patients and families experience emergency care.

Centenary Hospital saw nearly 6,000 additional emergency visits over the past year alone, highlighting the growing demand for emergency care in Scarborough. The new state-of-the-art ED will be more than 36,000 square feet larger than the existing space, significantly expanding capacity to meet growing demand.  It will also be Canada's first emergency department designed specifically around AcceleratED Care, SHN's innovative model of care that puts a health assessment team at the front of the ED so patients are seen sooner and can begin any needed tests and treatment earlier.

The purpose-built space will significantly improve patient and staff flow, enable more intuitive navigation, and includes additional isolation rooms and dedicated areas for mental health and paediatric care.

"Northpine Foundation is thrilled the people of Scarborough will benefit from shorter wait times and experience even more exceptional care at the new Northpine Emergency Department at Centenary hospital," said John and Cathy Phillips, Co-Founders, The Northpine Foundation. "Scarborough deserves it."

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"Demand for emergency care in Scarborough continues to grow, and our teams are caring for more patients than ever before while delivering some of the strongest emergency access and patient safety results in Ontario,” said David Graham, President and CEO of SHN. “The new Northpine Emergency Department will give our healthcare teams the modern space and capacity they need to build on that success, improve access to care, and serve this community for decades to come."

“Together, we’re helping emergency care in Scarborough reach new heights. This milestone is a powerful example of what’s possible when our community comes together to invest in the future of healthcare,” said Alicia Vandermeer, President and CEO of SHN Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful to The Northpine Foundation and all of our generous donors whose support is helping bring this new Emergency Department to life for patients, families and healthcare teams across Scarborough.”

The groundbreaking represents an exciting step forward in SHN’s journey to transform healthcare across Scarborough and ensure patients and families can access high-quality emergency care closer to home.