New medical school will be the first in Canada with a core mandate to train family doctors

TORONTO, July 29, 2025 鈥� 91亚色 unveiled its new sign today at the site of its future School of Medicine building next to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct.

The University also signed a new partnership agreement with the (OCI) toward fostering health-care innovation through collaboration with partners within the .

91亚色鈥檚 new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, training Ontario鈥檚 future primary-care doctors, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028. The school will support the growing and urgent primary health-care needs of underserved communities, including in northern Toronto, 91亚色 Region, Simcoe County, the District of Muskoka and surrounding rural areas.

鈥淭oday was an exciting reminder of how far 91亚色 has travelled, with the support of our partners at the City of Vaughan, Mackenzie Health and the Province of Ontario, on the path to opening the School of Medicine in 2028. This project reflects our commitment to students whose dream it is to pursue a medical education and to the communities we serve by responding to the urgent need for primary health-care physicians,鈥� said Rhonda Lenton, 91亚色 President and Vice-chancellor. 鈥淚 am incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us achieve this goal and proud that 91亚色 continues to lead innovative programs and equitable solutions to the pressing challenges our society faces both in the delivery of health care and beyond. I鈥檓 also thrilled that 91亚色 and the Ontario Centre for Innovation (OCI) will work together to advance innovative ways of delivering the best health care possible to Ontarians.鈥�

The government of Ontario has committed $9 million in start-up funding for 91亚色鈥檚 new School of Medicine as part of its 2024 budget. It also pledged its support for 80 undergraduate spots and 102 postgraduate spots in the first year, going up to 240 undergraduate seats and 293 postgraduate seats on an annual basis once operating at full capacity.

This is part of the province鈥檚 plan to roll out the largest expansion of medical education in over 10 years as it continues to build a stronger, more resilient health-care system. The 91亚色 School of Medicine builds on the Ontario government鈥檚 investment in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct through Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and a new long-term care home beside the hospital, delivering 256 net-new care beds to serve the aging population.

"As Member of Provincial Parliament for King鈥擵aughan, I ensured that Ontario's government stepped up in a big way to build 91亚色鈥檚 new School of Medicine, with a focus on training more family doctors, right here in our community," said Stephen Lecce, MPP for King鈥擵aughan. "Backed by our government's investment and a powerful new partnership with the Ontario Centre of Innovation, Vaughan's medical school will lead in cutting-edge research, enhance access to primary care, and meaningfully improve the quality of life of local families. Beside this medical school will soon include a modern long-term-care home and seniors center, all focused on delivering better health care closer to home."

The  has provided land on which the new School of Medicine building will stand in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct. The Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct is a City-led effort to develop a world-class destination for excellence in health care and health innovation on the 82-acre site, currently home to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital.

鈥淭oday, I was delighted to be a part of revealing the new sign to mark the site of the future 91亚色 School of Medicine in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct. This represents another milestone in realizing our ambitious vision of becoming a leading destination for health-care excellence and innovation,鈥� says City of Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca. 鈥淚 would like to thank our partners at 91亚色 and Mackenzie Health for their work in advancing this project. Once again, I would also like to thank the Government of Ontario for investing in Vaughan. It鈥檚 truly remarkable how much progress we鈥檝e made by working together toward a common goal.鈥�

As part of their educational journey toward becoming Ontario鈥檚 next generation of frontline primary-care doctors, 91亚色 medical students will learn about community-based health care by training in communities, ensuring they have a deep understanding of the diverse needs of Ontarians. As population needs change, 91亚色鈥檚 graduates will be ready to adapt while continuing to improve community and population health.

鈥淭his partnership with 91亚色 marks an important step in strengthening Ontario鈥檚 leadership in life sciences and health innovation,鈥� says Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO, Ontario Centre of Innovation. 鈥淏y connecting OCI鈥檚 commercialization expertise with 91亚色鈥檚 groundbreaking work in primary care and medical education, we are creating new opportunities to accelerate health technologies, support early-stage companies, and ultimately improve outcomes for patients across the province. Together, we are building a future where innovation and community-based care go hand in hand.鈥�

91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine students will graduate with the necessary tools to work seamlessly within an interprofessional, team-based health-care environment and will be poised to follow patients across different care settings, including the ability to leverage digital health technologies in diverse clinical settings.

In addition to recent partnerships with  and Southlake Regional Health Centre, the new School of Medicine is furthering opportunities for collaboration, research and innovation with 91亚色, and as part of the .

The signing of the new partnership agreement with the Ontario Centre of Innovation is a major step toward realizing those research and innovation opportunities in life sciences, health and medical technologies. The partners will work toward supporting early-stage life sciences companies, promoting economic growth, and positively impacting primary care within the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct.

QUOTES:

鈥淥ur government is making historic investments to protect Ontario鈥檚 health care by expanding opportunities for students to go to medical school here at home. 91亚色鈥檚 new School of Medicine will be a vital partner in training the doctors of tomorrow, ensuring communities across Ontario have access to excellent primary care. The partnership between 91亚色 and the Ontario Centre of Innovation will also continue to cement our province as a global leader in life sciences research, further driving a healthier, stronger future for our province.鈥�
鈥� Honourable Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.

鈥淥ur government is taking historic action to strengthen Ontario鈥檚 health care workforce through the largest expansion of our medical education system in over a decade. We鈥檙e proud to partner with 91亚色 as it unveils the sign for its new School of Medicine, training the next generation of primary care physicians. By continuing to grow the health care workforce across the province, we鈥檙e ensuring more connected, convenient, and accessible care for communities in every corner of Ontario.鈥�
鈥� Honourable Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health

鈥淭his milestone reminds us of what鈥檚 possible when health care, education, research and innovation come together with a shared vision. Working alongside our Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct partners 鈥� 91亚色, the City of Vaughan and ventureLAB 鈥� and through new collaborations with organizations like the Ontario Centre of Innovation, Mackenzie Health is proud to help shape a healthier, smarter and more resilient future, right here in western 91亚色 Region.鈥�
鈥� Mary-Agnes Wilson, Interim President and CEO, Mackenzie Health

鈥淥ntario鈥檚 leadership in life sciences and medtech innovation is a beacon of light to the rest of the world, reflecting the best of our ability to respond to emerging health care challenges, while building a prosperous future. The Vaughan Healthcare Precinct anchors this vision by building a pathway for homegrown companies to bring their innovations from lab to hospital and market and unlocking their ability to transform patient care, improve lives, and promote a resilient, healthy economy, for generations to come.鈥�
鈥� Raed Kadri, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Business Development and Head of OVIN, Ontario Centre of Innovation.

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91亚色 has long been a leader in health education and research, and the University received another shot in the arm with back-to-back announcements of support from the government of Ontario for its new School of Medicine. Today, at the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct, Premier Doug Ford announced that 91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine will open its doors to the first cohort of future doctors in 2028.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement is part of our plan to connect more Ontario families to more convenient care, including primary care,鈥� said Premier Doug Ford. 鈥淎s the first medical school in Canada focused primarily on training family doctors, this new school will make an enormous impact in the lives of people in 91亚色 Region and across Ontario.鈥�

The Premier also announced that 91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine will have the province鈥檚 support for 80 undergraduate spots and 102 postgraduate spots when the doors open in 2028, going up to 240 undergraduate seats and 293 postgraduate seats on an annual basis once operating at full capacity. By focusing on training primary care doctors, 91亚色鈥檚 training model will devote approximately 70 per cent of the new postgraduate training seats to primary care.

The new commitments build on $9M in start-up funding announced last week as part of the Ontario Budget 2024: Building a Better Ontario. Taken together, the suite of announcements boosts the development of the School of Medicine at 91亚色 significantly and accelerates the pace and path to new medical education in the fastest growing region in Ontario.

鈥淭hese new investments to support increased physician education in Ontario come at a critical time and mark an important milestone in 91亚色鈥檚 trajectory as an internationally recognized leader in higher education. Amidst growing demand for family doctors and other primary care general specialists, I want to thank Premier Ford and his government for being responsive to this pressing need, for their vision and clear commitment to 91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine 鈥� and a healthier future for Ontarians,鈥� said Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor.

91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine will begin to prepare the next generation of talented frontline primary care doctors who represent the diversity of the communities in which they live starting in 2028, with plans to launch a unique bridging program to ensure no qualified future doctor goes without access to medical education.

The City of Vaughan has been an early supporter and valued partner throughout the planning and development of this critical education infrastructure project, and has agreed to transfer land to the University to build the School of Medicine within the  beside Mackenzie Health鈥檚 Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. 

Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca affirmed the City鈥檚 ongoing commitment, 鈥淭oday is an exciting day for the City of Vaughan and the province of Ontario. I was thrilled to join Premier Ford to officially announce the approval and funding of 91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine, located in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct (VHCP). When ready, this new School of Medicine will help address the much-needed doctor shortage in our community. I want to thank the Premier, the Government of Ontario and 91亚色 for today鈥檚 funding announcement as part of the Ontario Government鈥檚 2024 Budget.鈥�

鈥淢ackenzie Health is excited to be a lead partner on this journey with 91亚色 in the creation of a School of Medicine, located next to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and just a few kilometers from Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital. There is an urgent need for additional primary care providers in our community and for our health care system. Building capacity will ensure patients receive the comprehensive care they need and deserve, especially as they age and begin to experience more complex health challenges. We are grateful for the provincial government鈥檚 continued health care investments, and we look forward to working with 91亚色 to train the family physicians of the future who will care for the growing and aging community in western 91亚色 Region and beyond,鈥� said Mackenzie Health President and CEO Altaf Stationwala.

鈥淓arly聽support聽from聽91亚色鈥檚 strong network of聽community health providers, hospitals, and municipalities聽with whom we have been working聽has聽been instrumental throughout the School of聽Medicine planning聽phase. I聽am grateful for聽our聽many聽highly skilled and thoughtful partners for聽their leadership聽and聽insights, and we聽look forward to continuing to grow and expand our聽work with them,鈥� said聽Lenton.聽

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