Health Sciences North (HSN) and the HSN Foundation are proud to announce a transformational gift of $5 million from OCP Construction Supplies and the Cousineau family to support the expansion of pediatric care in Northeastern Ontario.
The Cousineau family’s personal experience with pediatric care at HSN inspired their giving.
“When your child is sick, nothing else matters,” said Rick Cousineau, owner of OCP Construction. “Our family knows firsthand the importance of having specialized care close to home. We’re proud to support the hospital so other families across the North can access the care they need without having to leave the region. I challenge other businesses in the Northeast to get on board and support the hospital’s plans for expansion.”
More than half a million people from Parry Sound to James Bay, and from the Quebec border to the northern shores of Lake Superior, rely on HSN for specialized services in surgery, cancer, cardiovascular care, mental health and addictions, trauma and critical care.
There are more than 40,000 pediatric visits to HSN every year from kids across Northeastern Ontario. NEO Kids — the largest provider of specialized pediatric care in Northeastern Ontario — offers neonatal intensive care, pediatric inpatient care, diabetes, cardiology, autism, complex care, rehabilitation and more, all through a family-centred model of care.
Currently, the demand for pediatric services is outpacing the hospital’s space and resources. The Pediatric Ambulatory Care Unit currently accommodates more than 20 different clinics and procedures, yet lacks dedicated washrooms and spaces large enough for families to meet with their care teams. As a result, children may be treated in conference rooms or staff offices instead of child-friendly clinical spaces.
The region also faces some of the highest pediatric needs in the province. Pediatric ER visits are 72% higher in Northeastern Ontario, compared to 12% province-wide. The northeast has the highest pediatric mental health admissions in Ontario. Hundreds of children are still sent to hospitals in Ottawa or Toronto each year because specialized services are not available at HSN.
“This donation will help us build the space we need to meet the demand we’re seeing today and prepare for the future with the Northeast at the heart of Ontario’s critical mineral supply,” said Anthony Keating, President and CEO of the HSN Foundation. “Families deserve care close to home, and with support from donors like the Cousineau family, we are one step closer to making that a reality.”
Dr. Chantal Corbeil, Chief of Pediatrics at HSN, added, “I want to thank OCP Construction and the Cousineau Family for this important donation. HSN’s capital expansion will include a new pediatric inpatient unit, will expand more private rooms, providing more advanced care and reducing the need for families to travel to Southern Ontario.
All pediatric clinics will be brought together in one child-friendly space. This will allow us to care for children with complex needs in specialized clinics to help treat seizures, diabetes, concussions, kidney disease, spasticity, cancer care, and more in spaces designed for them.”
HSN’s current site was built too small and needs to expand to meet current and future demand, especially as Greater Sudbury and Northeastern Ontario experience significant population growth tied to mining and the critical minerals sector. A strong, stable, high-performing healthcare system is essential not only to patient care, but also to economic growth and workforce attraction in the region.
David McNeil, President and CEO of HSN said, “Every morning, we start the day with up to 30 patients in our Emergency Department waiting to be admitted to the hospital, but can’t due to the lack of beds. We have 526 total beds at HSN, but care for an average of 630 admitted patients everyday. Our daily capacity is usually near 120% and we have more than 130 patients receiving care in hallways, tub rooms, the Emergency Department, and retirement homes every day,” said McNeil.
McNeil added, “Our capital expansion ensures the needs of children in the Northeast are met and we greatly appreciate the generosity of the Cousineau Family and OCP Construction Supplies for their investment in better health for our kids.”
HSN is planning a major redevelopment to meet the growing needs of Northerners and to support the province’s long-term health and economic goals. Phase 1 of this expansion will right-size HSN’s total beds to 852 beds by 2043.
HSN’s Phase 1 expansion will address the most urgent needs of the healthcare system and includes an expansion of pediatric services and programs, the creation of an integrated mental health and addictions facility, and the modernization and expansion of HSN’s Emergency Department – all of which are aligned with provincial health priorities.
In 2023, HSN received a $5 million planning grant from the province to help support early planning of HSN’s capital expansion. HSN is currently awaiting approval from the Ministry of Health to move from stage 1.2 to 1.3 of a five stage planning process for the capital expansion.
HSN greatly appreciates the continued support of the provincial government as we continue to provide high-quality health services to the people of this vast region.