Unlocking The Future Of Brain Health: Sunnybrook Marks Ribbon Cutting Of The Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre

OCTOBER 17, 2024 — Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre held a ribbon cutting ceremony today to celebrate the completion of the new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, which will open to patients in early 2025.

A vital part of Sunnybrook’s vision to invent the future of health care, the new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre is the first of its kind in Canada for patient care and interdisciplinary research, with a focus on treating mental and physical health as one. It unites Sunnybrook experts under one roof to increase collaboration and discovery, as well as enhance the patient experience with streamlined care for complex condition. The Hurvitz Centre will revolutionize approaches to the most complex brain disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS and more.

In Canada, one in three people will experience a brain disorder in their lifetime; one in five will experience a mental illness or addiction concern. The new Hurvitz Centre will address those increasing needs with specialized services.

“The Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre is unprecedented in the field of brain sciences,” says Dr. Andy Smith, President & CEO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “From early breakthroughs in neuroscience to development of leading technologies like rTMS and Focused Ultrasound, our clinicians and researchers have been at the forefront of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. As a leader in brain health for all of Ontario, the new Hurvitz Centre will allow us to continue to care for people in their most critical moments, all under one roof and connected to care right across the hospital.”

“We are grateful for the generous support of Garry Hurvitz, whose desire for improving brain health mobilized our donor community and paved the way for major investment from the Government of Ontario,” says Kelly Cole, President & CEO, Sunnybrook Foundation. “More than 7,000 donors made this new centre possible, and together we share the same belief that all aspects of brain health are worthy of attention and care.”

“Mental health is still one of the most underfunded diseases out there. I felt compelled to do something,” says Garry Hurvitz, an entrepreneur and philanthropic leader in the community. “I believe everyone deserves access to the care they need, and I made my pledge to inspire others to come forward and help in whatever way they can. Our healthcare system has a long way to go and there is a tremendous reliance on philanthropy. The fact that our community responded with such immense support is amazing. The generosity of so many donors is what made the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre a possibility.”

“Our government is making record investments to expand access to world-class care, connecting more people to the services they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Our $60 million investment to complete the new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre will support Sunnybrook to deliver innovative, state-of-the-art care to people and families living with mental illness and brain disorders, for years to come.”

About the new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre

The new Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre is 120,000 square feet and three storeys tall. The Hurvitz Centre has 47 private inpatient beds to accommodate more patients, including:

• 28 adult inpatient rooms
• nine psychiatric intensive unit rooms
• 10 youth inpatient rooms

In addition to inpatient space, the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre features 26 outpatient exam rooms and is home to:

• the Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, one of the world’s first to offer a complete range of neuromodulation strategies to influence brain circuitry;
• the Murphy Family Centre for Mental Health, providing compassionate and comprehensive inpatient care for youth and adults;
• the Yuval & Lori Barzakay Brain Health Clinic, where research directly impacts outpatient care in stroke, memory, ALS, traumatic brain injury and more; and
• Ontario’s first circadian sleep centre, with sleep rooms dedicated to round-the-clock testing.

The design of the building included consultations with patients and families to build a space that meets patient needs.

An exceptional leadership gift from Garry Hurvitz established the Garry Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, and inspired more than 7,000 donors and the Government of Ontario to make this new centre possible.

Care teams and patients will move into the new Hurvitz Centre in early 2025.

For more information:
Joshua Terry
Manager, Public Affairs | Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
media@sunnybrook.ca