OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 27, 2025 (CNW Group via COMTEX) --
Over the past month, Desjardins has committed $1.5 million to Ontario healthcare organizations by making three $500,000 financial contributions for facilities in Ottawa, Niagara and Sudbury. Â
Today, the financial cooperative is announcing a $500,000 financial contribution to the Ottawa Hospital Foundation and their Campaign to Create Tomorrow. It's the latest in a long history of investing in community well-being and forward-looking initiatives that make a significant local impact. The contribution to the Ottawa Hospital Foundation follows the recent announcement of two other $500,000 contributions to new healthcare facilities in Niagara and Sudbury.
"Desjardins is proud to be partnering with organizations that are focused on the future and creating modern, patient-centered facilities that meet a real need. We created the GoodSpark Fund to drive progress and empower communities to tap into Canada's deep pool of expertise and innovative thinkers. These projects don't just enhance care, they strengthen communities and reflect a broader vision for our collective well-being," said Denis Dubois, President and CEO of Desjardins Group.
The three contributions are being made from Desjardins's GoodSpark Fund, which was launched in 2017 to support economic development and improve the lives of people in their communities. Projects supported by the Fund deliver on real local needs and often leverage innovation that helps community groups and organizations adapt to a changing world and kick off a new cycle of prosperity, one initiative at a time. Desjardins has already used the Fund to support nearly 1,000Â initiatives and has committed to investing $280 million in projects across Ontario and Quebec by 2027.
Desjardins's financial support for the organizations focuses specifically on complementary infrastructure in support of basic health care activities. Things like green spaces and healing gardens that promote health by creating a connection to the natural environment.
"We are incredibly grateful to Desjardins for their generous contribution to our Campaign to Create Tomorrow," said Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. "Their support reflects our shared commitment to building a healthier future for our community. Together, we are creating a facility that will deliver world-class care and research, drive innovation and transform the future of health care in Eastern Ontario."
The Ottawa Hospital is reshaping the future of healthcare with the development of a state-of-the-art academic health care facility and research centre at a new campus downtown Ottawa. Desjardins's contribution will help develop green spaces, giving patients, staff, and visitors welcoming places to heal, reflect and recharge. The funding will help support sustainable design plansâ??like pollinator and therapeutic gardens, green roofs, and energy-efficient systemsâ??that support sustainability while promoting health and well-being for the entire community.
The South Niagara Hospital is expected to open in the summer of 2028 and will be the first WELL-Certified Hospital in Canada. Desjardins's $500,000 contribution will help create outdoor therapeutic areas connecting nature and medicine to help patients with pain reduction and stress. Green spaces were designed in collaboration with local Indigenous partners and include a community space to host an outdoor market that will encourage support for local businesses.
The St. Joseph's Continuing Care Centre is a modern, additional care facility that will add to the existing capacity of the St. Joseph's Health Centre of Sudbury, which has been serving the region for nearly 75 years. Desjardins's contribution is helping create peaceful outdoor spaces and a beautiful healing garden, giving patients a calming place to recover and connect with nature. The funding also supports special therapy programs like gardening, relaxation and art activities that help people heal, feel better and regain independence.
About Desjardins Group
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of $501.3 billion as at June 30, 2025. It has been named one of the top employers in Canada by both Forbes magazine and Mediacorp. It has also been recognized as one of the World's Best Banks 2025 by Forbes. The organization has more than 57,200 skilled employees. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, its online platforms, and its subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world's strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and one of the highest credit ratings in the industry. In 2025, Desjardins Group is celebrating its 125th anniversary, marking more than a century of focusing its ambitions and expertise on being there for members and clients.
SOURCE Desjardins Group
SOURCE: Desjardins Group
For more information (media inquiries only): Public Relations, Desjardins Group,
514-281-7000, ext. 5553436, media@desjardins.com
COMTEX_469837245/2197/2025-10-27T08:30:00
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