Grand River and St. Mary’s complete due diligence in voluntary merger process

4 July 2024

Kitchener, ON – July 4, 2024 – St. Mary’s General Hospital and Grand River Hospital have completed the due diligence process of their proposal to voluntarily merge into a single new hospital corporation.

In April, the boards of both Hospitals announced they had independently voted in favour of coming together. The new, merged organization would replace existing organizations and oversee current Hospital sites, services, and ongoing capital redevelopment projects.  

On June 26, 2024, both Boards approved the legal and corporate due diligence process, agreeing to proceed with developing and submitting a proposal for integration to the Ministry of Health. The St. Joseph’s Health System Board of Directors also passed the motion and is supportive of the Hospitals moving to the next step in the merger process.

“Completing the due diligence phase marks a significant milestone in advancing our long partnership, signalling our entry into the next phase of our journey towards a new future as a single Hospital organization,” says St. Mary’s Board Chair Tim Rollins.

“After going through the due diligence process over the past two months, we are even more confident that integrating and maximizing our collective and unique strengths will put us in the best position to navigate the changing health care landscape and meet the needs of the rapidly growing communities of Waterloo-Wellington and beyond,” says Grand River Board Chair Sandra Hanmer.

In the weeks ahead, Grand River and St. Mary’s will focus on developing a merger business case for the Ministry of Health’s consideration, including asking the community to provide input on the new Hospital organization’s brand identity. The Hospitals will concurrently advance the joint capital redevelopment projects, including the proposed new acute care hospital in Waterloo Region. During the next decade of planning and building, the current Hospital sites will remain operational, with no impact on patient care. In the fall, St. Joseph’s Health System will partner with the St. Mary’s Board to engage communities on future opportunities for the St. Mary’s site. The goal is to support community needs while advancing Catholic healthcare in Waterloo Region.

The planned merger, expected to take place in spring 2025, builds on a decades-long history of partnership and collaboration between the Hospital organizations that has included a joint medical staff, shared clinical support services, collaborative COVID-19 responses, a shared health information system, and joint fundraising campaigns.

The Hospitals will continue to provide opportunities for members of the public to shape what this new Hospital organization will look like and how it will best serve the communities’ current and emerging healthcare needs. All are invited to complete the community survey, open until August 31, 2024, to share your thoughts on how we can care for you better, together. The survey has been translated to six languages and is available on request through futureofcaretogether.ca.

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Contacts
Victoria Ott
Integrated Director, Strategic Engagement
Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital
Victoria.Ott@grhosp.on.ca
519-588-4687

Nicole Vaillancourt
Senior Communications and Engagement Officer
St. Joseph’s Health System
Nvaillan@stjoes.ca
289-259-5080