New 200,000-square-foot facility expected to improve care access for more than 13,700 children and youth in Eastern Ontario
OTTAWA — The Ontario government is marking a key milestone in the construction of the new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre, a project aimed at expanding specialized care for children and youth with special needs across Eastern Ontario.
Provincial officials and project partners celebrated the installation of the final structural beam at the site during a virtual ceremony on March 11. The completion of the structural phase signals continued progress on the 200,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to open in 2028.
Once operational, the centre will deliver coordinated care and specialized services to more than 13,700 children and youth with special needs and their families throughout the region. The project forms part of the province’s broader effort to strengthen Ontario’s health-care infrastructure, which includes nearly $60 billion in investments for more than 50 major hospital projects over the next decade.
“The new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre will deliver enhanced, high-quality care in a state-of-the-art building right here in Eastern Ontario,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “It will bring specialized programs and professionals together, making it easier for children, youth and their families to find supports under one roof.”
The new treatment centre will be connected to CHEO hospital through a tunnel, allowing patients and health professionals to move seamlessly between facilities. By bringing multiple care providers into one location, the government says families will have easier access to services that are currently spread across various sites.
When completed, the centre will offer a range of rehabilitation services and support therapies on-site, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech-language therapy and recreation therapy. The facility will also provide coordinated care for children and youth with multiple or complex needs, including supports delivered through the Ontario Autism Program.
In addition, families will be able to access the Extensive Needs Service through the centre. The program connects children and families with multidisciplinary teams that may include physicians, social workers and behavioural consultants, helping deliver tailored care plans for those with complex developmental or medical needs.
“Our government is proud to be celebrating this significant construction milestone alongside the community and our partners from CHEO, the CHEO Foundation and its Kids These Days campaign,” said George Darouze, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “This milestone moves the project one step closer to reality, with a new building to meet the growing need for children’s development services in a modern and fully accessible space which will benefit residents of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.”
The project also highlights the role of public infrastructure investment in supporting long-term health-care capacity. Acting Minister of Infrastructure Todd McCarthy said the centre represents a broader effort to expand and modernize care facilities across the province.
“Today’s construction milestone underscores the tremendous dedication of everyone supporting CHEO’s new Integrated Treatment Centre, from workers and project partners to community members. Once complete, the centre will provide children and youth with special needs better access to coordinated, specialized care, closer to home. Our government’s landmark investment in children’s treatment centres is part of our more than $223 billion capital plan to build and protect Ontario by renewing critical infrastructure, strengthening our communities and keeping workers on the job.”
Infrastructure Ontario, which is working alongside project partners to deliver the facility, said the development will modernize how specialized pediatric services are delivered in the region.
“Infrastructure Ontario is proud to work with CHEO, EllisDon and our government partners to deliver a modern, accessible facility that will improve how children and youth with special needs access care in eastern Ontario,” said Angela Clayton, President and CEO, Infrastructure Ontario.
Ground was broken on the project in April 2025, and construction is expected to continue over the next two years. The facility is being developed as part of CHEO’s broader 10-year redevelopment plan aimed at expanding pediatric services and improving coordination of care.
CHEO President and CEO Vera Etches said the symbolic beam signing highlighted the community-driven nature of the project.
“This beam carries signatures and handprints today — signatures from some of the people who have made this project possible, but most importantly, the handprints of those kids this project is for. Together, these signatures and handprints signal the shared vision of what care for children and youth can and should be. The ITC represents the next era of CHEO’s 10 year redevelopment plan — and a tangible step toward a future where services are coordinated, accessible, and designed with families at the centre.”
Community fundraising has also played a key role in supporting the project through the CHEO Foundation’s Kids These Days campaign.
“More than 50 years ago, generous donors helped build CHEO so families in our region could access dedicated pediatric care close to home. Today, that same spirit of community support is shaping the future through the Integrated Treatment Centre. This beam signing marks a powerful milestone made possible by donors past, present and future who believe deeply in the health and well-being of our kids,” said Steve Read, President and CEO, CHEO Foundation.
The Ontario government says the new facility is part of a broader strategy to expand children’s treatment services across the province. Other initiatives include the construction of the new Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, planning for the Lansdowne Children’s Centre in Brantford, and the completion of new treatment centres in Ajax and Sudbury.
Special needs addressed through Ontario’s children’s treatment centres include communication disorders, developmental and physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries and chronic medical conditions. Specific diagnoses may include cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida, autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
With the structural phase now complete, officials say the CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre is moving closer to its goal of providing integrated, family-centred care for thousands of children and youth across Eastern Ontario.