The Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver provides a place of comfort, healing, and a home away from home for kids and families across British Columbia and Yukon. A new facility for Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon will increase capacity to accommodate more families, following an investment of up to $18.8 million from the federal government.
Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Rebecca Bligh, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and Richard Pass, CEO of Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon were present to make today's announcement.
The current facility is operating at full capacity with 73 bedrooms, and there is growing demand for additional space to support families of children receiving life-saving medical treatment. Funding will provide for the construction of a second facility, Willow House, which will double the number of families accommodated and enhance support services for those with extended hospital stays.
Willow House will be a fully accessible, 130,000-square-foot facility featuring 75 family suites, as well as indoor and outdoor common areas. This new net-zero building will address both current and future needs by providing affordable long-term accommodation for vulnerable families and expanding capacity to better serve larger, more diverse, and long-stay families. It will continue to offer important programs such as music therapy, art therapy, and daily family meals, ensuring families have the support they need to focus on the health and well-being of their loved ones while maintaining equitable access to pediatric health care.
