History & Photo Timeline
Sunnybrook evolved from its early beginnings as a hospital for Canadian veterans to grow and flourish as a fully affiliated teaching hospital of the University of Toronto.
1928 - Alice M. Kilgour donated the Sunnybrook Farm to the City of Toronto in memory of her husband, Joseph Kilgour, for use as a public park.
1943 - With the consent of the Kilgour heirs, the parkland was transferred to the Government of Canada to build a hospital for veterans.
1948 - Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital opened as the largest veterans hospital in Canada, to this day standing as a symbol of the nation’s gratitude to its war veterans.
1966 - Became a fully affiliated University of Toronto teaching hospital serving the general public as well as the needs of veterans.
1976 - Established Canada’s first regional trauma unit to care for those sustaining life-threatening multiple injuries.
1982 - Opened the Toronto-Bayview Regional Cancer Centre, an arm of the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation.
1989 - Established a regional cardiovascular surgery and angioplasty centre.
1990 - Began providing chronic care services to the community, building on the chronic and nursing home care provided to veterans.
1991 - Opened major research facilities to house the rapid growth of research on campus.
1994 - Established the Boyd Academy of the University of Toronto to provide a focus for undergraduate medical education, including community agencies and partner institutions.
By the early 1990s, Sunnybrook had established six major program priorities. The Hospital was renamed Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, recognizing the importance of teaching and research excellence. This academic strength helps Sunnybrook provide the highest quality patient care.
