Thursday, June 19, 2025
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) officially broke ground on its new Cardiovascular Surgery Program, the first of its kind in Northwestern Ontario. This marks a major step forward in access to life-saving care for people in the region.
Leaders from the Hospital were joined by health care partners, community donors, and government representatives to recognize this long-anticipated moment and celebrate the beginning of construction on more than 76,000 square feet of new and renovated clinical space.
“This historic investment from the Government of Ontario will help us work toward establishing a cardiovascular surgery program at our Hospital,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker-Ellacott, president and CEO of TBRHSC and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “It could not have happened without the advocacy of Minister Greg Rickford and MPP Kevin Holland. It also reflects the hard work of our dedicated staff who have worked tirelessly on this project, and the community donors who have supported it. This is what it looks like when a region pulls together for a common cause that benefits all.”
The Cardiovascular Surgery Program will allow patients to receive urgent and elective procedures in Northwestern Ontario. This will eliminate the need for long-distance travel to southern Ontario for approximately 300 patients every year. Once complete, the program will improve access to surgical care, reduce wait times, and lead to better outcomes for patients across the region. It is all made possible by funding from the Government of Ontario and contributions to the Our Hearts at Home campaign, led by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
“This over $93 million investment marks a historic moment for Northwestern Ontario,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay–Atikokan. “For the first time, our region will have its own Cardiovascular Surgery Program bringing lifesaving care closer to home. This project reflects our government’s strong commitment to improving access to health care in the North and ensuring better outcomes for patients and families. It also builds on more than $200 million in health care investments our community has received since I was elected in 2022 including critical expansions, infrastructure upgrades, and frontline services that are improving care across Thunder Bay. I want to sincerely thank Minister Sylvia Jones for her leadership and express my deep gratitude to the entire team at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre for their dedication to this transformative initiative.”
The program is being developed in partnership with University Health Network’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre to ensure the highest standards of care. Representative from UHN were also there for the announcement.
“We are proud to partner with Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre on this important step toward bringing comprehensive cardiovascular surgical care to Northwestern Ontario,” said Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical Director, UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. “It is exciting to see construction begin, as it brings us closer to delivering the same standard of excellence in Thunder Bay that patients receive at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to making world-leading cardiac care more accessible to people in Northwestern Ontario and other underserved regions across Canada through an integrated program.”
When complete, the program will include:
- 14 new cardiovascular surgery inpatient beds.
- Six coronary care unit beds.
- A state-of-the-art surgical suite with C-arm imaging and recovery space.
- An expanded ambulatory care and pre-admission clinic.
- A new vascular lab.
- Renovations to medical device reprocessing and biomedical departments.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.
Featured image: (L-R on podium) Dr. Barry Rubin, Medical Director, UHN’s Peter Munk Cardiac Centre; Dr. Vivek Rao, Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery, UHN, Medical Lead, Cardiovascular Surgery Program Implementation, TBRHSC; The Honourable Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay–Atikokan; Dr. Rhonda Crocker-Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC and CEO of Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute; Patricia Lang, Chair, TBRHSC Board of Directors; Glenn Craig, President and CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation; Paul Fitzpatrick; Our Hearts at Home Campaign Cabinet Chair; Parker Jones, Tom Jones Construction. (TBRHSC)
