March 30, 2008

TORONTO - Ontario is assisting seriously ill children and their families by providing a one-time capital grant of $9 million to support the construction of a new Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House.

This grant will more than triple the capacity of the current facility, allowing 80 families to have the ability to stay the night at any one time. The current facility has the capacity for 28 families. Over the course of a year this will provide 29,200 family nights of comfort at the new Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House.

The new home will make Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House the largest in Canada and the second largest in the world. The new building, scheduled to open in late 2010, means more families will be able to stay together for longer periods of time. It is designed to meet the unique needs of out-of-town families and will include suites for longer term stays.

Since its establishment, Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House has worked very closely with Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, which provides treatment for approximately 95 per cent of the children who stay at the facility.

“This investment will support Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House as it continues its work to help improve the quality of life for the people of Ontario,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

“This one-time capital funding will help us build our new House and address the huge unmet need of families from across the province,” said Jane Marco, Executive Director of Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House.  “The medical field has long recognized the value of keeping children together with their families during treatment, giving them the strength they need for the fight of their lives.”

• Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House opened in 1981 and provides accommodation for out-of-town families of seriously ill children who need specialized medical treatment.
• The average length of stay per visit at Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House is 51 days.
• Many residents bring their entire family to live at the House while staying in Toronto.

View a video of the announcement  

Learn more about Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House.

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