Scarborough’s First-Ever Medical School Receives $25 Million Donation from Myron and Berna Garron

September 23, 2024

Scarborough, Ontario – The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at the University of Toronto Scarborough, received a major boost of $25 million in funding for its building construction. Thanks to two exceptional philanthropists: Myron and Berna Garron, for their visionary generosity supporting this first-ever medical school in Scarborough, made possible by the Government of Ontario in 2022.

Raymond Cho, MPP for Scarborough North and Ontario’s Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, attended this major gift announcement on behalf of Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Health Sylvia Jones and Minister of Colleges and University Nolan Quinn at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus.

“On behalf of our government and the people of Scarborough, our sincerest thanks to Myron and Berna Garron for their incredible gift,” said MPP Cho. “Our government is improving local health care in Scarborough through expanding  medical education, building its first-ever medical school. It is our shared vision with Myron and Berna, the University of Toronto and the Scarborough Health Network, that a stronger health care workforce means stronger health care.”

This $25 million donation will go towards the future home of SAMIH at the University of Toronto Scarborough, training our future health care workforce. This benefaction also includes support for enhancing teaching and research linkages between SAMIH and the Michael Garron Hospital.

“On behalf of Premier Doug Ford and our government, I want to thank Myron and Berna Garron for their generous donation to the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health,” said Minister Jones. “Your support builds on the largest expansion of medical education that our government has undertaken in 15 years, training more doctors in the GTA than ever before to ensure people can access care in their communities for years to come.”

The Ontario government has embarked on the largest expansion of our medical school system in more than a decade across the province, as we keep building future talent in healthcare by bringing more health care workers into the field.

SAMIH was made possible by Ontario’s commitment to fund the expansion of medical education as part of its strategy to address the critical shortage of health professionals in the province. The Ontario government works closely with hospitals, professional associations, universities and colleges, to bolster our pipeline of health care talent, so that Ontarians will get the quality care they need, closer to home.

The five-storey, purpose-built complex that will house the SAMIH will be named “Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex”. It is located at the University of Toronto Scarborough at the intersection of Military Trail and Morningside Avenue, across from the Toronto Pan Am Centre, and is expected to open in the Fall of 2026.