Key Takeaways
- The gift: The Peter Gilgan Foundation gave The Ottawa Hospital C$50 million on Nov. 3, 2026, the largest philanthropic gift in Ottawa's history, according to the hospital.
- What it names: The hospital will name the Peter Gilgan Critical Care Tower at its new campus, housing the Trauma Centre, emergency services and the intensive care unit.
- The campaign: The gift lifts the C$500 million Campaign to Create Tomorrow to C$464 million, CBC News reports, as the cost of the new Civic campus remains unsettled.
The Peter Gilgan Foundation, the family foundation of Mattamy Homes founder Peter Gilgan, gave The Ottawa Hospital C$50 million, about US$35.7 million, on Nov. 3, 2026. The hospital calls the Peter Gilgan $50 million gift the largest philanthropic gift in Ottawa's history, and it will name the Peter Gilgan Critical Care Tower at its new campus.
What the Peter Gilgan Critical Care Tower Will House
The tower will house critical care services such as the Trauma Centre, emergency services and the intensive care unit for patients across the region, according to the hospital's release. The Ottawa Business Journal reports it will bring together physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, allied health professionals, social workers and spiritual care providers. "The Peter Gilgan Critical Care Tower will strengthen The Ottawa Hospital's role as a leader in healthcare in Canada," said Cameron Love, president and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital.
"I've always believed that investing in healthcare is one of the most meaningful ways we can strengthen our communities," Peter Gilgan said. He founded Mattamy Homes in 1978 and leads Mattamy Asset Management, its parent company, which he created in 2018, the Ottawa Business Journal reports. Three years ago, his family's foundation gave $105 million toward a new hospital in Mississauga, Ont., that will be named after him, CBC News reports. CTV News Ottawa also reported the gift as the largest philanthropic donation in the city's history.
Campaign to Create Tomorrow Reaches C$464 Million of Its C$500 Million Goal
The gift supports The Ottawa Hospital's C$500 million Campaign to Create Tomorrow, and it raised the campaign's total to C$464 million, CBC News reports. By WYDE's arithmetic, the Gilgan gift alone is 10% of the goal, and the campaign now stands at 92.8% of it, with C$36 million left to raise. A spokesperson told CBC News the goal will remain unchanged. "Today is about more than an investment in a new hospital," said Tim Kluke, president and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
At the Bank of Canada rate of 1.3994 Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar on Nov. 3, 2026, the C$50 million gift is worth US$35,729,598. WYDE tracks hospital and health gifts on its record page for 2026 healthcare gifts.
The Gilgan Gift and the Rising Cost of the New Civic Campus
The donation comes as the price of the new Civic campus is unsettled. Ontario's minister of infrastructure said last week that the province is now investing nearly C$10 billion in the project, which was once expected to cost C$2.8 billion, CBC News reports. Ottawa's own share was once pegged at C$700 million, and in 2022 city council was asked to supply C$150 million of it, with the hospital foundation's campaign covering most of the rest. By WYDE's arithmetic, the Gilgan gift equals about 7% of that local share.
Ontario's Ministry of Health told CBC News that the City of Ottawa's current contribution to The Ottawa Hospital is a fraction of what Mississauga, Oakville, Vaughan, Brampton and Windsor are contributing to their own hospital projects.
People Also Ask
How much did Peter Gilgan give The Ottawa Hospital?
The Peter Gilgan Foundation gave The Ottawa Hospital C$50 million on Nov. 3, 2026, about US$35.7 million at the Bank of Canada's rate that day. The Ottawa Hospital says the Peter Gilgan Foundation's gift is the largest philanthropic gift in Ottawa's history.
What is the Peter Gilgan Critical Care Tower?
The Peter Gilgan Critical Care Tower is the part of The Ottawa Hospital's new campus named for the Peter Gilgan Foundation's C$50 million gift. It will house critical care services such as the Trauma Centre, emergency services and the intensive care unit.
How close is The Ottawa Hospital's Campaign to Create Tomorrow to its goal?
The Ottawa Hospital's Campaign to Create Tomorrow has a C$500 million goal, and the Peter Gilgan Foundation's gift raised its total to C$464 million, CBC News reports. That leaves C$36 million to raise, by WYDE's arithmetic.
Sources: The Ottawa Hospital via CNW, CBC News, CTV News Ottawa, Ottawa Business Journal, Bank of Canada.