New emergency care expansion at Centenary Hospital aims to reduce wait times, increase capacity and support 400 jobs in Scarborough
SCARBOROUGH, Ontario — The Ontario government has officially broken ground on a new emergency department at Scarborough Health Network’s (SHN) Centenary Hospital, launching an $82 million health-care infrastructure project designed to expand emergency services, reduce patient wait times and strengthen access to care for one of the province’s fastest-growing communities.
The provincial investment will fund the construction of a modern emergency department that will add more than 36,000 square feet of clinical space to the hospital, significantly increasing its capacity to serve patients while replacing aging infrastructure. The project is also expected to generate approximately 400 good-paying jobs, including more than 300 construction positions, providing an economic boost alongside expanded health-care services.
The development forms part of Ontario’s broader strategy to modernize the province’s health-care system through approximately $64 billion in hospital infrastructure investments over the next decade. The government plans to advance more than 50 major hospital projects across Ontario, adding roughly 3,000 new hospital beds and improving access to care.
Expanded Emergency Department to Meet Growing Demand
The new emergency department has been designed to address increasing demand for emergency medical services in Scarborough, where population growth has placed additional pressure on hospital resources.
According to the province, the expanded facility will help reduce emergency wait times, streamline patient care, improve movement throughout the department and create a more efficient environment for both patients and health-care professionals. The upgraded infrastructure is intended to support both current service requirements and future population growth.
Scarborough Health Network currently operates three emergency departments that collectively care for more than 200,000 patients annually. Provincial officials say the additional space will allow SHN to better manage patient volumes while improving overall service delivery across its network.
“Our government is making historic investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system, ensuring that more people in Scarborough can connect to the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With construction starting on Centenary Hospital’s new and expanded emergency department, we are taking an important step forward in connecting more people and their families in Scarborough to the world-class emergency care they need and deserve, for generations to come.”
Health Infrastructure Investment Extends Beyond Emergency Care
In addition to the emergency department expansion, the Ontario government has invested nearly $15 million to strengthen kidney care services at Scarborough Health Network.
The funding has enabled the installation of 27 new hemodialysis stations, including 21 at Centenary Hospital. All of the stations are now fully operational and expand SHN’s Regional Nephrology Program, increasing access to dialysis treatment closer to home for patients requiring ongoing renal care.
Provincial officials say the expanded dialysis capacity will help meet growing demand for specialized kidney care while reducing the need for patients to travel outside their communities for treatment.
Scarborough Health Network Welcomes Major Expansion
Hospital leadership described the groundbreaking as a significant milestone for the future of health care in Scarborough.
“This investment marks an important milestone for Scarborough and the future of emergency care at SHN. The new Northpine Emergency Department will help us meet growing demand with an innovative model of care designed to improve the patient experience and support our health-care teams. We are grateful to the Government of Ontario for its partnership in helping us build for the future.”
— David Graham, President and CEO, Scarborough Health Network
Local provincial representatives also highlighted the importance of the project in improving access to care for residents.
“Centenary Hospital has been a cornerstone of care in Scarborough for generations and today marks a crucial step in modernizing its infrastructure for the future. The start of construction on this brand-new emergency department will connect local residents to expanded, convenient care closer to home. Investing in major hospital developments like this proves that our government is putting patients first and ensuring Scarborough receives its fair share.”
— Vijay Thanigasalam, MPP for Scarborough—Rouge Park
“After decades of neglect by previous governments, I am proud that under the leadership of Minister Jones and Premier Ford, our government is making the investments that Scarborough residents have long been waiting for. The expansion of SHN’s Centenary Hospital Emergency Department is another important step our government is taking to improve access to high-quality health care in Scarborough. Today’s announcement builds on the recent renovation of SHN’s Birchmount Hospital Emergency Department and our government’s historic $1 billion investment in a new hospital expansion, ensuring residents have access to the care they need, closer to home.”
— Aris Babikian, MPP for Scarborough—Agincourt
“Our government is proud to partner with Scarborough Health Network to enhance and expand the Emergency Department at Centenary Hospital. There is significant demand for emergency services across SHN’s three hospital sites, and this investment will provide the additional capacity needed to reduce congestion, improve patient and staff flow and modernize aging infrastructure. Most importantly, it will help deliver better care for the more than 200,000 patients who rely on Scarborough’s hospitals each year.”
— Dr. Raymond Cho, MPP for Scarborough North
“I am pleased to see our government investing in critical infrastructure to support needs of hospitals. This investment will improve access to timely, high-quality care by connecting more people with family physicians, nurse practitioners and other primary care professionals. It will also bring more dialysis services closer to home through new hemodialysis stations and expand the Emergency Department at Centenary Hospital thereby improving patient flow and increasing capacity to better serve our growing community. Grateful to the Minister Sylvia Jones under the leadership of our Premier Ford, for making Scarborough a high priority for such bold initiatives.”
— David Smith, MPP for Scarborough Centre
Province Continues Hospital Modernization Strategy
Scarborough Health Network provides hospital and community-based health services to more than 850,000 residents across eastern Greater Toronto Area through its three full-service hospitals and multiple community locations.
For the 2026–27 fiscal year, SHN is receiving more than $7.2 million through Ontario’s Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund to support essential hospital repairs and infrastructure improvements.
Province-wide, Ontario is investing more than $281 million during 2026–27 to fund infrastructure upgrades and repairs at 126 hospitals and 67 community health-care facilities, representing a 9.4 per cent increase over the previous year.
The Centenary Hospital emergency department expansion represents another step in the province’s long-term health infrastructure strategy aimed at modernizing facilities, expanding treatment capacity and improving access to timely care for communities across Ontario.