Ontario Breaks Ground on New Children’s Treatment Centre in Ottawa
New CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre will protect provincial health care by connecting more children and youth to specialized care
April 24, 2025
Children, Community and Social Services
OTTAWA — The Ontario government is celebrating the groundbreaking of the new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre. This new, fully accessible and state-of-the-art children’s treatment centre will provide integrated and coordinated care under one roof to better serve children and youth living with complex medical, developmental and behavioural needs, connecting them to the care they need, closer to home.
“Today’s groundbreaking is another step in our commitment to protecting Ontario’s provincial health care by improving services for children and youth with developmental needs,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “We are deeply grateful for the work of CHEO, the CHEO Foundation’s Board of Directors and all the community advocates, organizations and local MPPs who have helped make this new facility a reality.”
The new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre will consolidate services and programs across eight locations under one roof. Once completed, the state-of-the-art centre will better serve approximately 13,700 children and youth with special needs, along with their families, in eastern Ontario. The centre will be connected to the CHEO hospital, allowing for more convenient and connected care for children and their families.
The new centre will house a team of professionals who will provide a range of programs and services conveniently under one roof, including:
- On-site rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology, recreation therapy, and support therapies.
- Coordinating care for children and youth with multiple and/or complex special needs.
- Rehabilitation services at schools.
- Services for children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, including, for example, services offered under the Ontario Autism Program and the Extensive Needs Service, which connects families to a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, including physicians, social workers and behavioural consultants to provide tailored supports based on the individual needs of the child or youth and their families.
“CHEO’s Integrated Treatment Centre is a key piece in our transformation to better meet the needs of children and youth,” said Dr. Vera Etches, President and CEO, CHEO. “This initiative will lead to better care integration and enhance the experience for children and youth dealing with complex medical, developmental, behavioural and mental health needs.”
The construction of the new, approximately 200,000 square foot site is a multi-year project funded by the Ontario government and CHEO and will be built by EllisDon Infrastructure OCH Inc – with completion expected in 2028.
Construction of this new facility is part of nearly $600 million in recent investments to build modernized facilities at children’s treatment centres across Ontario, including construction on the new Children’s Treatment Centre of Chatham-Kent, planning for the new Lansdowne Children’s Centre in Brantford, successful completion of Grandview Kids in Ajax, and the successful relocation of Health Sciences North Children’s Treatment Centre in Sudbury.
Quick Facts
- There are 22 children’s treatment centres across the province that provide services to children with developmental needs.
- Special needs can include, but are not limited to, communication disorders, physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, acquired brain injuries and chronic and/or long-term medical conditions. They can include specific diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida, autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
- Families with questions about their child’s development and support needs can contact their local children’s treatment centre.
Quotes
“As a parent, I understand firsthand the importance of ensuring our children have access to the care they need to thrive. CHEO’s new Integrated Children’s Treatment Centre will enable families in Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry and across Eastern Ontario to receive enhanced, accessible, and efficient health care. As we always have, our government is proud to give children the strong start they need to live healthy, happy lives and I thank CHEO for their dedication to the wellbeing of our community.”
– Nolan Quinn
MPP for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry
“There is not a family in Carleton, or across Ottawa, that hasn’t benefitted from the specialized services and compassionate staff at CHEO. The new Integrated Treatment Centre, supported by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, will enhance care for children and youth. Thanks to Premier Doug Ford’s leadership and our government’s investment in health care, this transformative project will also boost our local economy and create jobs not only for Carleton residents, but throughout Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.”
– George Darouze
MPP for Carleton
“While the new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre is being built in Ottawa, its impact will be felt well beyond the city—including by many families in Glengarry–Prescott–Russell who rely on CHEO for specialized care. This groundbreaking ceremony marks an important step toward providing more coordinated, accessible, and high-quality services for children and youth across Eastern Ontario. I’m proud to see this project moving forward to better support families throughout our region.”
– Stéphane Sarrazin
MPP for Glengarry–Prescott–Russell
“I’m proud of our government’s investment in CHEO’s new Integrated Children’s Treatment Centre because the world-class care this hospital and its amazing staff provides is invaluable to children and families in my riding. Every year, thousands of families from across Eastern Ontario travel to Ottawa to access programs and treatment at CHEO. Consolidating them into this modern, innovative facility makes care more convenient for families and can also only lead to better outcomes for kids.”
– Steve Clark
MPP for Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
“This groundbreaking marks the beginning of hope and healing for every child and family that walks through the doors at CHEO, including families from Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston. Together, we’re building a future where care is connected, compassionate and life changing, with a wide range of programs and services in pediatric care.”
– John Jordan
MPP for Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston
“As the MPP for Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, I’m proud to be a part of the groundbreaking ceremony on the new CHEO Integrated Children’s Treatment Centre. This investment is a vital step in improving access to care for children and youth with physical, communication, and developmental needs across Eastern Ontario. Families in our region will benefit greatly from the support and connection this centre will provide.”
– Billy Denault
MPP for Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke
“Once complete, the new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre will provide state-of-the-art health services for children and youth in a purpose-built facility, reducing wait times and combining visits to make it easier for families to access critical care. This landmark investment is part of our government’s nearly $200 billion capital plan to build Ontario, which will get more shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects while protecting thousands of workers in the face of economic uncertainty.”
– Kinga Surma
Minister of Infrastructure
“Breaking ground on CHEO’s new Integrated Treatment Centre marks a significant milestone for children’s healthcare in Ottawa. I’d like to extend my thanks to Minister Michael Parsa and the Ontario government for their support in improving services for children and youth with special needs in the Ottawa area through their investment in this new centre. This new facility will bring vital services together under one roof, making it more convenient for families to access the care their children need.”
– Mark Sutcliffe
Mayor of Ottawa
“In 2023, CHEO Foundation launched its most ambitious undertaking ever – a $220 million fundraising campaign – now commonly known as the Kids These Days campaign. Today marks a very significant milestone in the goal to transform pediatric care and our donor community is excited to be a part of this initiative.”
– Steve Read
President and CEO, CHEO Foundation
“Parents and families have helped shape the CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre into a place that will make a significant difference for children and youth in the coming years. From the building design to working on the integrated model of care, collaboration has been at the heart of each and every conversation and decision. I’m excited for this important milestone at CHEO and I can’t wait to see the vision become reality.”
– Steve Herzog
Family Advisor, CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre
Additional Resources
Learn about the services and supports available at your local children’s treatment centre.