Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs in action at Hockey Night in Brampton (City of Brampton photo).

Brampton’s annual hockey showcase has once again delivered a major boost to the campaign for a second hospital, with this year’s Hockey Night in Brampton raising $2.525 million.

The fifth-annual charity game at the CAA Centre on Wednesday night brought together NHL stars from the past and present, but the biggest result of the night came off the ice.

The $2,525,000 raised for the William Osler Health System Foundation brings the total raised through pledges over the past five years to more than $80 million, according to the City of Brampton and Mayor Patrick Brown.

“Brampton the big winner,” the city said in a post following the game.

The fundraising campaign is supporting the transformation of the Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness into Brampton’s second hospital, a $2.4-billion project that is expected to significantly expand hospital capacity in one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities.

The new hospital is planned to include a new emergency department, expanded outpatient services, and additional capacity to meet the growing demand for health care in Brampton.

The city has committed to raising $240 million toward the hospital project.

Hockey Night in Brampton has become one of the major fundraising events supporting that goal since it was launched in 2019.

Last year’s game produced an especially significant result, raising $6.67 million through the event while also becoming the setting for a historic $50-million pledge from the Cortellucci family and the Cortel Group.

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That donation, the largest in the history of the Osler Foundation and for any cause in Brampton, helped push the campaign forward in a major way.

This year’s event continued that momentum.

Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier served as captain of one team, facing off against Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly. The game ended in a 9-9 tie, with current and former NHL players taking part in the exhibition matchup.

The night also featured autograph sessions, fan experiences, live entertainment and a skills challenge.

But while the on-ice action provided the entertainment, the goal remained the same: helping Brampton build the health-care infrastructure needed for its growing population.

“$2,525,000 was raised this year for William Osler Health System Foundation and Brampton’s second hospital, bringing the total to more than $80 million in pledges over the past five years,” Brown said following the game.

The fundraising comes as Brampton continues to push for expanded hospital services. Peel Memorial currently provides a range of health-care services, but the planned transformation is intended to create a full-service second hospital for the city.

The project is being driven by the William Osler Health System, which operates Brampton Civic Hospital and Peel Memorial.

The need for another hospital has become increasingly important as Brampton’s population continues to grow, putting additional pressure on existing health-care facilities and emergency services.

Wednesday’s fundraising total means Hockey Night in Brampton has once again demonstrated the ability of the annual event to turn a night of hockey into a significant investment in the city’s future health care.

And with donations to the second hospital campaign still being accepted, the fundraising effort is far from over.


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