91亚色 secures landmark medical school investment through Budget 2026
Federal capital investment backs groundbreaking new facility to be built in Vaughan, Ontario
TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2026 鈥 91亚色 celebrates the Government of Canada鈥檚 investment in its unique-in-Canada school of medicine, announced today in Budget 2026.
鈥91亚色 applauds the federal government鈥檚 vision in making this important capital investment in our new school of medicine,鈥 said Lisa Philipps, interim president and vice-chancellor. 鈥淭his commitment through Budget 2026 enables 91亚色鈥檚 vision for transformative medical education right here at home. The federal government鈥檚 partnership will enable us to create a community-integrated school that delivers a new kind of medical training that advances the integrated health care that Canadians need and deserve.鈥
The Budget commitment through the Building Canada Strong Fund will directly support 91亚色鈥檚 plans for a 152,500-square-foot medical school building at the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct. The facility will be the anchor for a decentralized, community-based medical education designed to better prepare physicians to provide person-centred, team-based care. The building will include classrooms, simulation laboratories, anatomy and applied research laboratories, library and learning spaces, a lecture theatre, and student support areas enabled by future-oriented digital health technologies.
At full capacity, 91亚色 will graduate 80 physicians annually and accommodate 240 undergraduate learners and 293 postgraduate learners. Beyond adding primary care capacity, 91亚色鈥檚 goal is to address gaps in communities by better preparing physicians to deliver strong primary care, with integrated interprofessional teams and better-connected community and hospital care.
鈥91亚色鈥檚 medical school will be purpose-built to train family medicine and generalist physicians,鈥 said David Peters, dean of the Faculty of Health and School of Medicine. 鈥淗ere, by changing physician education, we will start building a new future for primary care for people in Vaughan, around Ontario and across Canada.鈥
Designed from the outset around the needs of communities, 91亚色鈥檚 model includes an accelerated three-year MD program and earlier community-based residency training through its foundational Integrated Community-Based Learning Network. The school鈥檚 reach will extend across 91亚色 Region and northern Toronto, Simcoe County, the District of Muskoka and surrounding rural and remote communities. By educating physicians in and alongside communities, 91亚色 aims to strengthen the pipeline of doctors prepared to practice where they are needed most.
Pending approval from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), 91亚色 will welcome its first class of medical students to its Keele Campus in north Toronto in 2028. The Budget 2026 investment advances plans for groundbreaking on the Vaughan site in late 2027.
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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91亚色's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. At our Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. The 91亚色 School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028 (subject to accreditation). Globally, 91亚色鈥檚 campus in Costa Rica offers students and researchers exceptional learning and innovation opportunities.
Contacts: Barbara Joy, Chief Spokesperson, 91亚色: 416-333-3374; barbjoy@york.ca
