TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2023 – By signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today, York University and Southlake Regional Health Centre agree to leverage their collective strengths in health care and research to address pressing challenges in its communities and beyond.

This MOU will enable them to explore mutual areas of interest and goals, opening conversations and furthering health knowledge, practice, policy and care.

“Collaboration between universities and health-care organizations is more critical than ever to feed the talent pipeline including the on-going needs for lifelong learning, facilitate groundbreaking research and innovation, and provide the best possible health care for our population,” says Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor of York University. “I am delighted to continue York University’s partnership with Southlake. This MOU signing will leverage York’s longstanding reputation as a leader in health-care education, while advancing our shared goals of increasing the quality and accessibility of care in York Region and Simcoe County. Together, I am confident that we can make important advancements that improve the health outcomes, well-being, and quality of life of Ontario’s diverse and rapidly growing communities.”

This collaboration spans the full spectrum of care – from infant, child and adolescent health to healthy aging and seniors’ care. It will usher in better care for generations by leveraging expertise in cancer research, neuroscience, and disease modelling, including diabetes, addiction, cardiovascular disease and more.

“Southlake is proud to foster an environment of innovation, growth and learning, while providing leading edge care to our communities,” says Arden Krystal, president and CEO, Southlake Regional Health Centre. “This partnership with York University will allow us to enrich care for the patients we serve, support professional development and enhance collaboration with the mutual goal of improving care delivery.”

As part of the agreement, York and Southlake will be able to partner on improving health informatics and analytics, as well as health technology to develop digital health solutions, machine learning, and diagnostic imaging collaborations.

The MOU will also allow Southlake and York to explore professional and community development initiatives that could provide positive change for both institutions, along with the students, staff, faculty and communities they serve. This would include providing Southlake employees with learning opportunities at the University and jointly hosting community events to help raise awareness of local health concerns.

Krystal and Lenton formalized the alliance during a signing ceremony at Southlake in Newmarket, which included Newmarket-Aurora MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy and Southlake’s Elizabeth Ferguson, chief nursing executive and vice-president for people, interprofessional practice and patient experience.