Changemakers at Unity Health Toronto

• Unity Health Toronto ranked 10th among Canada’s research hospitals for 2025, and 4th for research intensity among large hospitals, according to Research Infosource Inc. This annual ranking recognizes research growth and shows how we are strengthening our academic footprint and advancing knowledge in meaningful ways.
• The VITAL Project, a Unity Health Toronto program, received a $30 million three-year launch investment from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. VITAL is a health data platform that enables hospitals across Canada to access secure, real-time health data for research, clinical trials, AI innovation, and healthcare improvement.
• St. Michael’s Hospital research projects had a successful year in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant Program.
  • For the Fall 2025 Program, 11 research projects were awarded more than $8 million in funding with an application success rate of 21.5 per cent (significantly higher than the 16.2 per cent national success rate)
  • For the Spring 2025 Program, 17 research projects were awarded more than $17.5 million with an application success rate of 33.3 per cent (nearly doubling the national success rate of 17.4 per cent)
• Dr. Darrell Tan, infectious diseases physician at St. Michael’s, is the lead author on the updated national guidelines for HIV Prevention Medication – the only guidelines that exist in Canada. The guidelines offer Canadian health care providers, community members and policy-makers the latest insights on prescribing HIV medications, in an effort to ensure the life-saving drugs are equitably prescribed and bring down rising infection rates. The guidelines come at a critical time as research shows that HIV cases are spiking in Canada. 
• St. Michael’s Hospital researchers Drs. Darren Yuen and Eno Hysi conducted a first-in-human study of quantitative ultrasound to assess transplant kidney fibrosis. This study was published in the journal Nature and shows how a non-invasive ultrasound technology can better evaluate kidneys intended for transplant and predict post-transplant outcomes.
• Dr. Andrea Tricco and Dr. Larissa Shamseer’s paper on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), which updated global guidelines for reporting systematic reviews, was among the 25 most-cited scientific papers of the 21st century, according to the journal Nature.

• The Student Centre supported 7,000+ student placements from over 50 disciplines, demonstrating Unity Health Toronto’s continued commitment to expanding exceptional educational opportunities.
• As a leader in clinical education, Unity Health Toronto developed and is piloting new clinical placement models with academic partners that leverage our multi-site academic system. These models provide learning experiences across the continuum of care, enhancing learner and preceptor experiences and better preparing learners for practice.
• The Patient & Family Education Certificate program engaged over 350 session attendees to develop skills to better support patients and families, strengthening communication and health literacy practices. 
• The Simulation Program played a vital role in strengthening clinical performance, teamwork, and system readiness. From testing the new Sacred Fire Policy to supporting high-stakes code blue responses in the catheterization lab, simulation enabled safer hands-on learning. More than 5,000 clinicians, administrators, leaders, and learners participated in over 500 simulation events, supporting education, co-design of health care spaces, and real-time policy testing.
• Dr. Ryan Brydges was appointed as the David & Anne Patterson Chair in Advanced Technology-Enhanced Learning at Unity Health Toronto. This role will help shape education researchers, clinicians, and teams as they adapt to an evolving, data-driven health care landscape.
• Library Services completed 193 literature search requests and delivered workshops to more than 2,000 participants, supporting timely access to high-quality research and resources for clinicians and learners, and enabling evidence-informed practice across Unity Health Toronto.

• Reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by eight per cent, making notable progress towards the goal of a 20 per cent reduction by 2030. The reduction was made possible through ongoing focused efforts and implementation of energy projects.
• Engaged with the Smart Commute program to find opportunities to encourage sustainable commuting across all Unity Health Toronto sites, including installing electric vehicle chargers in two parking garages at St. Joseph’s.
• Completed a stormwater site assessment at Providence to identify opportunities to improve stormwater management and climate resiliency.
• Set a goal to avoid increasing GHG emissions during upcoming redevelopment projects at St. Joseph’s. Project teams are actively exploring sustainable alternatives to conventional heating and cooling systems.
• Advanced sustainable construction and renovation initiatives, including a plastic leakage reduction pilot at St. Michael’s.
• Set an ambitious goal to avoid increasing total organizational greenhouse gas emissions as part of upcoming redevelopment projects at St. Joseph’s. The project team is investigating sustainable alternatives to traditional heating and cooling systems.
• Teams from across the network were recognized by the Spotlight on Sustainability for their contributions to preserving and protecting the environment while supporting the delivery of excellent patient care: 
  • The Food Services Team engaged in the Nourish Planetary Health Menus program and committed to the Cool Food Pledge, making sustainable menu changes and aiming for a 25 per cent reduction in GHG emissions by 2030.
  • The Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Keenan Research Centre teams piloted and sustained initiatives like “Clean is Green” to remind staff of the importance of recycling, and “Save the Birds” to encourage staff to turn off lights when they leave the office during migratory season.
  • Providence’s boiler replacement project team replaced an aging piece of infrastructure with a more sustainable and efficient alternative.

Partnerships and Programs

• Expanded the LIFT (Leading Inclusive Futures Together) youth mentorship program by extending programming from one week to two weeks, doubling mentor and student  participation, and strengthening partnerships with 19 schools, five libraries, and 16 community organizations to support youth underrepresented in medicine. record (EPR) system:
• Delivered three staff education sessions on Black mental health and Black youth mental health in partnership with CAMH’s AMANI Mental Health and Substance Use Program, reaching more than 75 staff and strengthening approaches to supporting Black youth in the downtown east.
• Partnered with the First Baptist Church, to recognize the shared history at Victoria St and Queen, with Toronto’s oldest Black institution.

Community Engagement and Trust

• Engaged more than 150 Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, and disability community members to inform how identity‑based data is collected, accessed, monitored, and used in hospital settings, supporting accountability and community trust.
• Launched a community‑partnered quality improvement initiative focused on improving birthing outcomes and care experiences for Black patients, including co‑design engagement with Black birthing participants.

Equity in Quality and Care

• Implemented organization‑wide education and support frameworks for staff who experience racism or discrimination during patient and resident interactions.
• Completed a staff engagement survey with more than 6,000 participants, showing improved perceptions of support for diversity and inclusion, which increased from 55 per cent in 2022 to 62 per cent in 2025.
• Increased racialized staff representation by 4.5 per cent since 2022, with racialized staff now representing 68 per cent of the workforce.
• Advanced commitments from the Black Staff Experience Report by implementing or initiating 87 per cent of action items, increasing Black representation among staff by 11 per cent and among leaders by 8 per cent, and doubling Black senior leadership representation to 4 per cent in 2024–25.

Research and Learning

• Continued equity‑focused research training, student programs, and learning opportunities to strengthen inclusive research practices across the organization.

• Officially opened the Indigenous Wellness Centre at St. Michael’s, a 650-square-foot space, where the Indigenous Wellness Team provides services and supports to Indigenous patients and hosts education, training and ceremonial events. Staff and community members were welcomed at an open house in July 2025.
• Built operational capacity through new hires and the establishment of Indigenous Wellness Specialists embedded within our St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team, expanding opportunities for Indigenous patients to access culturally appropriate care.

• Provided supports for Indigenous patients, including wellness navigation, connection to ceremony, and care across all areas of the hospital, as well as discharge planning and home readiness support to ensure patients return to safe, healthy environments.

• Hosted the Toronto Central Regional Indigenous Cancer Program’s 4th annual Bundle Feast Ceremony at Providence Healthcare in November, where nine hospital networks and organizations across the GTA came together for a ceremony focused on feasting the Indigenous Cancer Program bundles residing at each hospital site, building community, and discussing the power of Indigenous ceremony as part of healing. Toronto Central Regional Indigenous Cancer Program gifted each of the nine hospital networks with drum bags.
• Completed planning work on the creation and design of the Indigenous Wellness Centre at Providence Healthcare, including an indoor wellness centre and a teaching arbour/sacred fire in an accompanying outdoor ceremonial space.
• Worked with Human Resources to support Indigenous employees and reduce barriers for Indigenous community members and students interested in pursuing healthcare careers at Unity Health Toronto.
• Offered cultural programs and learning opportunities for Unity Health Toronto staff, credentialed providers, volunteers and learners including: Smudge N’ Talk sessions, an intentionally welcoming space for people to engage with the team to learn about smudging ceremonies, the importance of smudging within the hospital, policy and expectations to support requests for smudging; and a Dance for Healing, an initiative led by the OIWRP team to share the power of the Jingle Dress Dance and its healing properties with the hospital community.
• Worked with the hospital and community leaders to elevate and embed Indigenous health as a key strategic pillar across Unity Health Toronto.
• Co-led a sociodemographic data governance working group and developed a draft framework with the Office of Anti-Racism, Equity and Social Accountability, grounded in best practices in Indigenous data governance principles.

• Over the past year, PFPs participated in 83 new activities, including interview panels for leadership roles, committees such as the Laboratory Optimization Steering Committee, education initiatives like creating videos to support best practices in health literacy and more.
• Eight new PFPs were welcomed to the program, for a new total of 79 PFPs.
• PFPs launched a digital storytelling library where they shared their stories as patients and caregivers on video to support patient-centred learning across the organization and demonstrate how Unity Health Toronto teams live our values.
• PFPs participated in a co-design session with staff to improve the usability of MyChart, Unity Health Toronto’s patient portal.
• PFPs took part in an engagement session to improve the summary patients and caregivers receive after a hospital stay or clinic visit to ensure every patient leaves feeling informed, safe and confident about their next steps in care.
• PFPs are part of the Patient Menu Advisory Committee, helping guide menu planning and meal service through a patient-centred lens, including input on new menu items, cultural diversity and healthy, appealing food choices.
• The 14 PFPs that make up the Unity Health Patient Family Council provided critical input into strategic planning, quality priorities and key system improvements, including wayfinding projects, the development of a compassionate care framework and ensuring a transparent and patient-centred approach to the disclosure of serious safety incidents.
• Learn more about how PFPs are partnering to improve care in the 2025 Year in Review.