October 2, 2025
In October 2025, we marked a historic day as the Foundation celebrated a milestone with our donors. The Emergency Department at St. Boniface Hospital opened its doors to the public.
It’s something of which to be proud. The generosity of our donors allowed St. B’s newly renovated and expanded Emergency Department to include cutting-edge features centered on compassion, comfort, privacy, and patient dignity.
This renovation and expansion came at a critical time, as the Hospital had been responding to increasing service demand not only from Manitobans, but also from parts of Saskatchewan and Northwestern Ontario. The new facility is now over three times larger than its original size — up to 115,120 square feet — and includes cutting-edge features that meet the highest standards for safety and accessibility.
$10 million community contribution
As one of just three hospitals providing emergency care in Winnipeg, St. B plays a vital role in our health-care system, addressing urgent care needs. It became clear that the Emergency Department needed to grow in step with the rising number of visitors and the population we serve.
In light of this, our generous donors once again showed up for the Hospital, offering their compassion and kindness through contributions totalling $10 million toward the overall cost of the Emergency Department project.
Each act of donor generosity meant much more than a financial gift — it enabled the inclusion of top-tier emergency care features centered on compassion, comfort, dignity and privacy for patients and their families.
Break rooms and rest area for families and staff
As noted by Karen Fowler, President and CEO of St. Boniface Hospital Foundation, the renovation includes “a large new end-of-life treatment room, as well as a separate bereavement room offering confidentiality and private spaces for families to make difficult decisions or say goodbye. Families will never forget being in those rooms, and they will be comfortable and calming, thanks to your generous support,” Fowler added.
The compassion of our donors extends even beyond patients and their families. Because caring for caregivers also matters, their kindness also allowed meant the creation of a large staff break room and rest area. As Fowler explained, “This can be a welcome relief for our professional caregivers during long shifts in our Emergency Department.”
As we open the doors to this next chapter of emergency care in our province, the leadership, staff, and Board of St. Boniface Hospital Foundation extend our deepest gratitude to our community of caring that made this — and so much more — a reality for St. B. Not only did they help build a facility; they created a beacon of hope, safety, and compassion for tens of thousands of families across the region.
As Fowler put it: “Through your generosity, you have powered an amazing transformation in health care that will serve Manitobans for many years to come. Thank you.”