At Benchmark, we value organizations that support the overall wellness of their communities. In this special Community Spotlight, we’re excited to feature the amazing Scarborough Health Network (SHN)
Their mission is to provide exceptional care to help patients and families achieve their best quality of life.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW
1) Tell us about SHN and what you do?
Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is dedicated to providing exceptional healthcare to one of Canada’s most diverse communities. We operate across three hospitals and eight satellite sites, serving a population that includes 59% new Canadians and 74% visible minorities. This cultural diversity brings unique healthcare needs, and SHN is deeply committed to delivering equitable, accessible, and high-quality care. SHN Foundation works tirelessly to raise funds and support essential improvements that match the remarkable care delivered by our teams every day. Through initiatives like the Love, Scarborough campaign, we inspire our community, donors, and volunteers to help upgrade our facilities, advance medical technology, and improve patient outcomes.
2) What are the primary goals of the organization?
Our primary goal is to raise $200 million for critical improvements for SHN’s three sites – General, Centenary, and Birchmount through the Love, Scarborough campaign.
Love, Scarborough launched in January 2022. It’s a bold marketing campaign built to address healthcare inequities and rally support for Scarborough’s underfunded hospitals. Despite being home to one of Canada’s most diverse and fastest-growing communities, Scarborough’s hospitals have faced decades of neglect and outdated facilities. Yet, we’ve done more than anyone thought possible with less than anyone could imagine.
Thanks to the remarkable support so far, we’ve raised $182 million, bringing us closer to making transformative upgrades, including expanding emergency care, building a new tower at Birchmount, enhancing dialysis and cardiac services, and strengthening mental health support.
Love, Scarborough entered an exciting new chapter in November, introducing 10 new faces—10 powerful stories of grit, resilience, and a deep love for our community. From dedicated staff and community members to courageous patients, these individuals represent the very heart of our campaign, embodying the spirit and strength that define Scarborough.
Learn more at lovescarborough.ca.
3) What have been the biggest impacts/outcomes on the community you serve?
In June 2024, SHN opened a new Community Mental Health Centre, funded entirely by donations, that is transforming mental health treatment in Scarborough. The new Northpine Diagnostic Imaging Department, slated to open next winter, is another milestone funded by the Love, Scarborough campaign. After 25 years of being on hold, this critical facility is becoming a reality thanks to the support of our donors. These projects and more are a testament to the difference that community contributions can make, significantly expanding access to essential health services for Scarborough’s population.
4) What are some of the biggest challenges SHN has overcome?
Historically, Scarborough’s hospitals have been underfunded, receiving only 1% of donations in Toronto—a statistic that placed immense pressure on our facilities. Despite these constraints, SHN continues to serve a high patient volume, with emergency rooms seeing 176,000 patients a year, originally designed to handle just half that number. Additionally, our cardiac team performs over 2,000 procedures annually in only two catheterization labs, while our surgical teams conduct 61,700 surgeries, often in Ontario’s oldest operating rooms. These limitations have driven us to do more than anyone thought possible with less than anyone could imagine.
5) What are SHN’s goals for the future?
Looking ahead, SHN has ambitious plans to elevate healthcare services for our community. We’re building Canada’s first emergency department with a front-end model to reduce wait times significantly. Enhancements in cardiac care are also on the horizon with a new Coronary Care Unit (CCU) in the works. In partnership with the University of Toronto, we’re creating the SHN Research and Education Centre within the Scarborough Health Centre of Excellence, a new medical school that will train future healthcare professionals right here in Scarborough. This expansion will foster a highly skilled workforce equipped to deliver compassionate and excellent care to Scarborough’s diverse and growing community.