Billionaire Jim Pattison makes $4 million donation to upgrade aging Surrey hospital facility

The Surrey Hospitals Foundation has just announced a $4 million donation from Canadian business icon Jim Pattison. This major contribution will kick-start the fundraising campaign to upgrade the 10-year-old Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (JPOCSC) in Surrey. With a goal of raising $8 million by the end of 2021 to purchase critical diagnostic medical equipment for the Centre, this generous donation will ensure the foundation will reach their target.

Surrey Hospitals Foundation is the largest non-government funder of healthcare for families in Surrey and surrounding Fraser Valley communities. The Foundation supports the major health facilities in the region, Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) and Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (JPOCSC), as well as numerous specialized programs for newborns, children, adults and seniors.

“I’ve always believed in giving back to the community and particularly in the area of health care,” says Jim Pattison, Chairman and CEO of the Jim Pattison Group. “This Centre has served the residents in Surrey and the Fraser Valley, and I am happy to be part of helping the Surrey Outpatient Centre with their new medical equipment.”

To relieve pressure on the health care system, The Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre consolidates the services that don’t require an overnight stay at SMH, into one stand-alone facility. The 188,000-square-foot, award-winning LEED Gold outpatient facility located at the Green Timbers site near Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) was opened in 2011. The construction was at a cost of $237 million.

“In the 10 years since it first opened, the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre has earned an exceptional reputation for excellence in care, innovation, quality design, and maintenance,” says Dr. Victoria Lee, President & CEO of Fraser Health. “Fraser Health has made contributions to replace and maintain much of the Centre’s medical equipment, but there are several large critical diagnostic equipment that need funding and we are so grateful for Mr. Pattison’s additional investment to help us make these purchases.”

This unique Centre has been a magnet for doctors, surgeons, and other specialists. When it first opened, JPOCSC had approximately 100 clinicians and 50 clinics. Today, the medical physician team has grown to 527 and the Centre boasts 56 clinics.

“The Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre has served more than three million patients since it first opened in 2011 and continues to provide specialized services to British Columbians to this day,” says Jane Adams, President & CEO of the Surrey Hospitals Foundation. “Mr. Pattison’s generous matching donation will help us reach out to the community to fundraise to keep the Centre current with innovative lifesaving equipment that will not only help better diagnose and treat patients, but also help us attract and retain the best medical talent from around the world.”

For more information about the Surrey Hospitals Foundation, please visit www.surreyhospitalsfoundation.com