SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan children’s hospital in Saskatoon has received a $50-million donation from a foundation run by a Vancouver-based businessman and philanthropist.
The health centre will be renamed the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital to honour the foundation's president and CEO.
Officials with the hospital say the gift will allow for ongoing funding for the hospital, which is scheduled to open in 2019.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says Pattison's generous donation will ensure that a world-class children’s hospital becomes a reality in the province.
Construction of the 176-bed kids hospital reached just over the halfway point at the end of April.
The province has contributed $235.5 million of the total cost of just over $285 million.
The children's hospital foundation has raised $75 million and interest from investments by the Saskatoon Health Region has brought in another $21.4 million.
Pattison is founder, chairman and chief executive officer of the Jim Pattison Group, the second largest privately held company in Canada.
