• Durham Region is one of the fastest-growing areas in Canada, with the population expected to almost double to 1.2 million by 2041. Whitby will be one of the fastest growing municipalities during that time.
• Over the next 20 years, the fastest growing sub-set of the population in Durham Region will be people over the age of 90, with significant growth in all groups aged 65 and older.
• In Whitby, according to the most recent population projections, approximately 30,000 Whitby residents will be turning age 65 in the next 15 years.
• The Province of Ontario projects that the number of seniors age 65 years and over will double from 2.2 million in 2015 to 4.5 million by 2041.
• By the year 2030, it is expected that more than a quarter of all Canadians will be over the age of 65.

• January 2022: Lakeridge Health announces lands in Whitby as a preferred site for a proposed new hospital for Durham Region
• August 2021: Lakeridge Health issues a Call for Proposals for a site for the proposed new hospital
• July 2021: Lakeridge Health announces the launch of community engagement on the site selection criteria for the proposed new hospital
• May 2021: Lakeridge Health announces preliminary steps in process to select a site for the new hospital
• February 2021: Council approved a new preferred site located at the south east corner of Highway 407 and Lake Ridge Road
• 2019: Town establishes a Hospital Task Force to lead the development of the business case for a new Durham Central hospital to be located in Whitby
• 2018: the Ontario Government announced its support for the new hospital in its 2018 Budget.
• 2017: Lakeridge Health initiated a Master Planning process to create a roadmap for the facilities and infrastructure improvements and expansion required to meet the needs of the community for the next five, 10, 20 years and beyond.  A new hospital is noted as an important part of their Master Plan.
• 2015: the Ontario Government-appointed Scarborough/West Durham Expert Panel recommended that a new comprehensive acute care hospital should be constructed for Durham Region.

What is the site selection process?

In May 2021, Lakeridge Health announced preliminary steps in the process to determine the site for a new hospital, in July 2021 launched community engagement on the site selection criteria for the new proposed hospital and in August announced a call for proposals for a hospital site. 

The Lakeridge Health Independent Expert Panel and Board of Trustees have now selected lands in Whitby as the preferred location for a proposed new hospital for Durham Region. 

Based on previous processes that have been undertaken to build new hospitals, we know that projects of this size and scope could take approximately ten years to be constructed and opened to the public.

What will the hospital cost?

While the cost of the hospital is not known at this time, the expected funding model is as follows.

The provincial government funds 90% of the cost of hospital construction and 100% of the planning costs.

The community's portion of funding (shared by the Lakeridge Health Foundation, Regional Municipality of Durham and the local municipalities) is the remaining 10% of the construction cost, and 100% of the equipment, technology, land and servicing costs. These costs to the community are known as the "local share".

As an example, the most recent Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital had a total project cost of $1.7 billion of which the provincial share was $1.3 billion. The balance was the local share of which the Region of York contributed $143 million and the City of Vaughan contributed $86 million for the purchase of land.

How can I stay up-to-date as the project moves ahead?

To stay informed on the project and latest updates, visit lakeridgehealth.on.ca.