BY ERIKA CUCCARO
From world-class research institutions to groundbreaking healthcare innovations, Ottawa is at the forefront of global health and wellness. The city’s leading organizations are pioneering advancements that are transforming patient care and positioning Ottawa as a model for the future of health.
Montfort Hospital: Celebrating 75 years of Innovation and Impact
In 2025, Montfort Hospital celebrates 75 years of service—a milestone that reflects its longstanding commitment to excellence in care, research and education. As Ontario’s Francophone academic hospital, Montfort is one of the country’s 40 major research hospitals, with 2,800 employees, physicians, researchers and volunteers, and more than 1,600 learners training annually. It also ranks among Ontario’s largest hospitals for obstetrics and mental health beds.
Montfort has earned national and international recognition. Newsweek ranks it among the top 50 hospitals in Canada and the top 1,000 globally. It boasts a strong workplace culture and innovation in bilingual service delivery.
Montfort’s integrated approach to care and research is helping shape the future of healthcare in Canada. With a focus on equity, accessibility and excellence in both official languages, Montfort is a cornerstone of health and wellness in Ottawa, and a powerful example of what innovation and inclusion can achieve.
The Royal: Advancing Mental Health Through Research, Care and Community
The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care, teaching and research hospitals, bringing together the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the Brockville Mental Health Centre, the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) and the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. The Royal continues to lead in compassionate, evidence- based care for people living with mental health and substance use challenges.
Research is deeply embedded in The Royal’s model. IMHR is currently running over 100 active studies, exploring everything from artificial intelligence to virtual reality and real-time neurofeedback. The Brain Imaging Centre features PET-MRI technology that helps researchers unlock the biology of mental illness, while treatments like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) offer patients access to next-generation care.
The Royal also leads community-based initiatives like the Royal Mental Hygiene Challenge, now in its third year. Inspired by research into the daily habits that support well-being, the initiative encourages people to invest just 10 minutes a day in practices like nature walks or mindfulness.
At The Royal, research and care are intertwined, and so is connection. Programs like the long-running volleyball group in the schizophrenia program show how community, physical activity and belonging can be powerful forces for healing.
CHEO: Building the Future of Pediatric Health
With more than 4,500 staff and physicians and over half a million patient visits each year, CHEO is one of Canada’s most influential pediatric health institutions and one of the few stand-alone global leaders in child and youth care. What began as a 20th-century acute care hospital has become a 21st-century integrated health system serving children and youth across Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and beyond.
CHEO’s 2024–2029 strategy sets a bold course: to deliver seamless, accessible, personalized care—where, when and how it’s needed. That includes moving care beyond the hospital walls through partnerships, virtual health and mobile teams. It means addressing mental health, chronic conditions and social determinants early. And it means empowering young people and families as partners in their care.
Ranked in the top 1% of Canadian hospitals for digital infrastructure, CHEO is at the forefront of health system innovation. Its Research Institute conducts world-class clinical, translational and basic science research across a wide range of childhood conditions.
The Ottawa Hospital: Pioneering Innovations that Reach Beyond the Bedside
The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, guided by a vision to provide world-class, compassionate healthcare. Its multi-campus employs over 17,000 people. TOH is home to the Regional Trauma Centre and Cancer Centre, and to discoveries that are adopted worldwide. Backed by generous community support, TOH is reshaping the future of health care to improve the lives of patients during treatment and long after they return home.
A leader in biotherapeutics, TOH received $59 million in 2024 to expand Canada’s capacity to develop and manufacture life- saving vaccines, gene therapies and cell therapies. The investment will support the expansion of TOH’s renowned Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC). Already the engine behind more than 20 groundbreaking clinical trials using stem cells, cancer-fighting viruses and immunotherapy, the BMC’s move to TOH’s new state- of-the-art campus will attract global talent and reinforce Ottawa’s leadership in biomedical innovation.
At the bedside, TOH is transforming care through innovative treatments like Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE), a minimally invasive liver cancer therapy that targets tumours with pinpoint precision. These treatments deliver better outcomes, faster recovery and new hope for patients once considered inoperable.
University of Ottawa Heart Institute: Educating at Every Level, Empowering at Every Stage
Since 1976, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute has been at the forefront of heart health in Canada, combining world-class patient care, leading-edge research and a deep commitment to education. As Canada’s largest and foremost cardiovascular centre, it offers bilingual services and is officially designated under Ontario’s French Language Services Act.
Education is embedded in everything the Heart Institute does. It trains over 280 medical, graduate and post-graduate students annually and provides learning opportunities for healthcare providers, caregivers, and the public. Its patient education tools— used by healthcare organizations across Canada—empower people to better understand and manage their cardiac health. Its smoking cessation program, now adopted in over 450 Canadian sites and at least six countries worldwide, reflects this scalable approach to impact.
That same spirit of accessibility is behind How to Read a Scientific Paper in Biomedical Sciences, a free guide that helps students, clinicians and readers worldwide navigate complex research with clarity.
From global clinical trials to webinars for local families, the Heart Institute proves that great care starts with great knowledge and a commitment to sharing it.
Powering Health and the Local Economy
While Ottawa’s hospitals provide world class care for patients, they are also major economic drivers, employing more than 20,000 people across the National Capital Region. From frontline healthcare providers to researchers, administrators and support staff, these institutions offer meaningful careers that contribute to both community health and prosperity.
Three of the city’s major hospitals, CHEO, Montfort and The Royal, were named among the National Capital Region’s Top Employers for 2025. Each brings its own strengths to workplace culture. CHEO was recognized for its dedicated wellness coordinator and year-round wellness initiatives. Montfort earned praise for its monthly employee advisory group focused on improving quality of life at work. The Royal stood out for starting new employees with four weeks of paid vacation.
Joining Efforts for Continuous Care
Ottawa’s healthcare leaders are united in their vision for collaborative, patient-centred care. Through the Atlas Alliance’s new digital health records system, The Royal, Montfort, The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (along with 12 other regional providers) are joining forces to transform how care is delivered across Eastern Ontario. By 2026, patients will be able to securely access their records and receive more coordinated care across institutions, with providers just a few clicks away from the information they need. It’s one more example of how Ottawa is leading the way in integrated, future-ready health systems.
Local Commitment, Global Impact
Whether advancing cancer treatment, shaping mental health care or empowering the next generation of clinicians, Ottawa’s health care institutions are doing more than keeping pace—they’re setting it. Through a shared commitment to innovation, equity and excellence, these organizations are redefining what’s possible. Together, they are showing the world how local leadership can drive global progress in health and wellness.
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