A Defining Moment for Healthcare in Our Community
Mayor John Taylor Councillor Kelly Broome Southlake Health Foundation President and CEO Jennifer Ritter
I was honoured to attend today’s announcement on behalf of the Southlake Community Cabinet, and the timing mattered.
It came just one day after a record-breaking Nature’s Emporium Run for Southlake, where our community showed up in a big way for our hospital.
That same energy carried into today’s announcement.
Speaking from the podium were Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health; Caroline Mulroney, Minister; and Dawn Gallagher Murphy, Member of Provincial Parliament for Newmarket–Aurora, along with John Taylor, Mayor of Newmarket; Virginia Hackson, Mayor of East Gwillimbury; Dr. Paul Woods, President and CEO of Southlake Health; and Jennifer Ritter, President and CEO of the Southlake Health Foundation—along with dozens of leaders in healthcare, donors, and elected officials.
This was a moment many have been working toward for years.
The Province confirmed continued investment in Southlake Health, including more than $58 million over the past year to support operations, diagnostics, and surgical recovery.
Most notably, a new Southlake hospital site in Queensville, in East Gwillimbury, was confirmed, alongside continued investment in the existing hospital in Newmarket.
That combination matters.
It means more capacity, better access to care, and a system that reflects the reality of how quickly our communities are growing.
For residents across Newmarket, Southlake Health is a critical part of everyday life.
It’s where children are born, where families turn in emergencies, and where ongoing care happens close to home.
As John Taylor noted, everyone has a connection to Southlake.
At the same time, the pressure on the system is real.
Emergency volumes continue to exceed original capacity, and population growth across Northern York Region and South Simcoe is accelerating demand.
Today’s announcement is a step toward addressing that gap.
What stood out was the level of alignment.
Government.
Hospital leadership.
Municipal partners.
Donors.
Volunteers.
All focused on the same outcome: expanding access to care.
That same sense of community support was visible just a day earlier at the Nature’s Emporium Run for Southlake.
Today’s announcement marks an important step forward but it is not the finish line.
Now the work begins.
There is still planning, design, and construction ahead, and it will take continued partnership, advocacy, and community support to see this through.
Because this is our hospital.
It serves our families, our neighbours, and our community, and it will take all of us, working together, to ensure it continues to grow and meet the needs of the people who rely on it every day.
Read the full press release here:
With gratitude
Kelly Broome
Councillor Ward 6
Newmarket
Photo credit: Photography by Lindsay
