The Hospital for Sick Children

History and Founding

The Hospital for Sick Children was founded on March 1, 1875, by Elizabeth McMaster and a women's bible study group. They rented an eleven-room house in Toronto for 320 dollars a year, setting up six iron cots to create a hospital dedicated to the admission and treatment of all sick children. The first patient, a young girl named Maggie who was a victim of scalding, was admitted on April 3 of that year. In its inaugural year, the hospital admitted 44 inpatients and treated 67 others through outpatient clinics, establishing its foundational commitment to pediatric care. The institution moved to larger rented facilities in 1876 before securing a permanent home.

In 1891, it moved into a purpose-built building at the corner of College and Elizabeth Streets, becoming known as the Victoria Hospital for Sick Children. This building served as the hospital's home for six decades and is now the Toronto area headquarters of Canadian Blood Services. In 1951, SickKids relocated to its current and much larger campus on University Avenue, a site that was once the childhood home of Canadian movie star Mary Pickford. The hospital expanded its capabilities over the years, adding a rooftop helipad in 1972 to facilitate critical patient transport and continuing to grow as a central institution in Canadian pediatric medicine.

Medical Contributions and Innovations

SickKids has a long and distinguished history of medical innovation that has shaped pediatric care globally. Its researchers famously invented Pablum, a fortified infant cereal, in 1930 to combat malnutrition. The hospital was also an early site for the application of insulin therapy for diabetic children, overseen by Dr. Gladys Boyd, following the discovery at the University of Toronto by researchers including Dr. Frederick Banting, who had interned at SickKids. The hospital's contributions extend across numerous specialties. In 1963, Dr. William Thornton Mustard developed the Mustard procedure, a life-saving cardiac surgery for infants with certain congenital heart defects. A landmark genetic discovery occurred in 1989 when a SickKids research team identified the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis. The hospital has also been a site for many Canadian firsts in surgery, including pioneering work in bone marrow transplantation, multi-organ transplantation, and the separation of conjoined twins. Its research strength is anchored in the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, the largest pediatric research centre in the world by area.

Campus and Project Horizon Redevelopment

The SickKids campus on University Avenue is undergoing a major redevelopment known as Project Horizon. This multi phase, multi billion dollar project aims to replace aging infrastructure and create a modern, two site hospital system to meet future pediatric care needs. The vision, approved by the Ontario Ministry of Health in September 2025, involves keeping acute and critical care services at the main University Avenue site while adding a new Ambulatory Care Tower at a second location for outpatient services. The project is powered by the concept of Precision Child Health, which focuses on individualized diagnosis and treatment informed by data and global best practices.

Significant progress has already been made. The 22 storey Patient Support Centre on Elizabeth Street, which houses corporate and administrative services, opened in September 2023 after construction began in 2019. The next major component is the Peter Gilgan Family Patient Care Tower, a new critical care facility on University Avenue expected to open in 2029. Renovations to the hospital's central atrium are scheduled for completion by 2031. The redevelopment is funded in part by the historic SickKids VS Limits fundraising campaign, which concluded in 2022 after raising 1.5 billion dollars, and includes the demolition of older structures like the Elizabeth McMaster Building to make way for new construction.

Mental Health Services and Community Care

SickKids provides extensive mental health support through The Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids. This centre offers a wide range of evidence informed programs and services for children, youth, and their families, including prevention, early intervention, and various therapy options. In June 2026, Shannon Greene was appointed as the new Executive Director of the centre. The hospital's mental health services are bolstered by significant philanthropic support, including a 40 million dollar donation from the Labatt family aimed at making mental health care more accessible and equitable.

The centre also operates a Learning Institute that provides professional training and education for mental health practitioners. Its work is part of SickKids's broader commitment to community based care, ensuring support is available beyond the hospital walls. During the COVID 19 pandemic, SickKids was active in public health education, receiving federal grants for initiatives to build vaccine confidence among educators and families through informational videos and school based outreach programs. These efforts included a project titled Stop COVID in Kids, which received a 440,000 dollar grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Challenges and Controversies

The hospital's history includes several difficult chapters that have prompted scrutiny and reform. From 1980 to 1981, a series of infant deaths in the cardiac unit led to a major investigation and murder allegations against nurse Susan Nelles, though charges were eventually dropped. The case remains unresolved, with some experts, including retired SickKids physician Dr. Desmond Bohn, later suggesting toxicology tests may have been misinterpreted, drawing parallels to other international cases like that of British nurse Lucy Letby. Up to 29 baby deaths were initially suspected, but it remains unclear if any murders actually took place.

Another significant controversy involved the Motherisk Drug Testing Laboratory, which was housed at SickKids. From 2005 to 2015, the lab performed approximately 16,000 hair strand tests for child protection agencies across Canada. A 2015 review by Justice Susan Lang concluded the laboratory was not qualified for forensic testing and that its results were unreliable, potentially affecting child custody cases. The report noted SickKids's failure to provide adequate oversight, linking it to the hospital's earlier experience with discredited forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Smith, whose work had also led to wrongful convictions.

Notable Individuals

Throughout its history, SickKids has been associated with thousands of notable staff, researchers, and patients who have shaped its legacy. Among its pioneering medical staff were Dr. Frederick Banting, co discoverer of insulin, Dr. William Thornton Mustard, developer of the Mustard cardiac procedure, and Dr. Lap Chee Tsui, part of the team that discovered the cystic fibrosis gene. Recent leadership includes Dr. Ronald Cohn, the hospital's President and CEO, who is guiding the Project Horizon redevelopment. The hospital's board has included prominent Canadians such as former Member of Parliament Jean Augustine and business leader Prem Watsa. The hospital has also treated many notable patients from various walks of life. Other patients include author and country singer Mel Hague, YouTuber Molly Burke, and, tragically, murder victim Aqsa Parvez, who died at the hospital in 2007. The diverse stories of these individuals reflect the hospital's wide reaching impact on Canadian society.

Research and Global Standing

SickKids is not only a care provider but also a global research powerhouse. Its research institute, headquartered in the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, focuses on key areas such as genetics, genomics, oncology, and stem cell biology. The hospital is a member of major international organizations like the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Its research directly informs clinical care, creating a continuous cycle of discovery and application that benefits children worldwide. The hospital is also advancing the use of artificial intelligence through initiatives like SickKids AI to support its Precision Child Health goals.

This excellence is consistently recognized in international rankings. SickKids was named the number one children's hospital in the world by Newsweek magazine in both 2021 and 2026, a back to back achievement that underscores its sustained leadership. The hospital is the sole or largest provider of many complex pediatric programs in Ontario and often nationally, handling cases of the highest acuity. It continues to pioneer new approaches, including the integration of artificial intelligence through initiatives like SickKids AI to advance Precision Child Health and improve diagnostic and treatment pathways for individual patients.

Future Directions and Ongoing Work

Looking ahead, SickKids is focused on completing the ambitious Project Horizon redevelopment while continuing to advance pediatric medicine. The construction of the new Ambulatory Care Tower and the transformation of the University Avenue site are central to this future vision. The hospital anticipates that patient complexity and volumes will continue to rise, and the new infrastructure is designed to support this demand with innovative care models. Ongoing community engagement remains a priority, with patients and families providing input on the design of new spaces throughout the project's stages. Beyond bricks and mortar, SickKids is investing in the digital and scientific frontiers of health care. Its work in artificial intelligence and data analytics aims to personalize medicine further through the Precision Child Health initiative. The hospital also continues to strengthen its community mental health services and professional training programs.

Questions about The Hospital for Sick Children

When was SickKids founded and by whom?

The Hospital for Sick Children was founded on March 1, 1875, by Elizabeth McMaster and a Toronto women's bible study group. They began by renting an eleven room house and equipping it with six iron cots to care for sick children. The first patient was admitted in April of that same year. The hospital moved to a permanent, purpose built location at College and Elizabeth Streets in 1891 before relocating to its current University Avenue campus in 1951.

What is SickKids known for inventing?

SickKids is credited with several major medical and nutritional inventions. Most famously, researchers at the hospital invented Pablum, a fortified infant cereal, in 1930 to address childhood malnutrition. The hospital also established Toronto's first milk pasteurization plant in 1908. In terms of surgical innovation, Dr. William Thornton Mustard developed the life saving Mustard procedure for heart defects in 1963, and a SickKids team discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis in 1989.

What is Project Horizon?

Project Horizon is the multi billion dollar redevelopment project to transform the SickKids campus. Approved by the Ontario government in September 2025, the plan involves creating a two site hospital system. It includes building a new Critical Care Tower on University Avenue and a separate Ambulatory Care Tower for outpatient services at a second location. The project, which includes modernizing the existing atrium, is funded partly by a historic 1.5 billion dollar fundraising campaign and aims to support future care through Precision Child Health.

How does SickKids rank among children's hospitals?

SickKids is consistently ranked as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the world. It achieved the number one global ranking in Newsweek magazine's listings for both 2021 and 2026. The hospital is renowned for its unique programs, high volume of complex cases, and groundbreaking research. It serves as the sole or largest provider of many specialized pediatric services in Ontario and is a national leader in several surgical and medical disciplines.

What mental health services does SickKids offer?

SickKids provides community mental health services through The Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids. The centre offers a wide range of programs including prevention, early intervention, individual and family therapy, and day treatment. It also operates a Learning Institute for professional training. In June 2026, Shannon Greene was appointed as its new Executive Director. A major 40 million dollar donation from the Labatt family in 2026 is helping to expand accessible and equitable mental health care for children and youth.

Has SickKids been involved in any controversies?

Yes, SickKids has been involved in several high profile controversies. The most notable include the investigation into a series of infant deaths in the early 1980s, where a nurse was accused but never convicted, and the case remains unclear. Later, the hospital's Motherisk Drug Testing Laboratory was found in a 2015 review to be unqualified for forensic testing, potentially affecting child protection cases. The review criticized the hospital's oversight, linking it to prior issues with forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Smith.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.