For the past five years, Scotiabank has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Women’s College Hospital Foundation as presenting sponsor of the Black Women’s Healthcare Summit, helping create an important space to center the voices and experiences of Black women and advance more equitable healthcare.
It is a partnership grounded in a shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to be healthy, to be supported, and to thrive.
As Sandra Sualim, President and CEO of Women’s College Hospital Foundation, says, “Equity and inclusion are not simply ideals. They are the foundation of healthy communities, strong economies and a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Now, Scotiabank is building on that commitment with a new gift of $675,000 through ScotiaRISE, its 10-year, $500 million community investment initiative focused on strengthening economic resilience by removing barriers to participation.
The gift will support two very different programs at Women’s College Hospital, but they share something important: both are clearing barriers that can stand between people and opportunity.
For refugees and newcomers receiving care through the Crossroads Refugee Clinic, those barriers can be surprisingly simple. A bus ride to an appointment. Childcare while seeing a doctor. Food. Equipment needed to recover safely at home. They may not sound like healthcare, but when you cannot afford them, they can determine whether you are able to get the care you need at all.
That is why the Crossroads Refugee Clinic’s Compassionate Fund exists. It helps cover essential costs that are not funded by OHIP, giving patients one less thing to worry about as they navigate a new healthcare system and rebuild their lives in a new country.
With Scotiabank’s support, approximately 1,200 refugees and newcomers will receive additional support.
But removing barriers is also about looking ahead.
The other half of Scotiabank’s gift will support the Emily Stowe Scholars Program, which is creating new pathways into healthcare and research for people who have historically been underrepresented in the health sciences. Scotiabank’s support will grow the program from 18 to 31 students, giving more young people access to hands-on learning, mentorship and the opportunity to imagine themselves as part of the future of healthcare.
Because who gets the opportunity to become a researcher, clinician or healthcare leader matters. When more voices, experiences, and perspectives are represented, we have the opportunity to ask different questions, challenge assumptions, and build healthcare that works better for more people.
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At Scotiabank, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive, and that starts with being able to access the care you need. Through ScotiaRISE, we’re proud to support Women’s College Hospital in removing the barriers that prevent newcomers from receiving the care they need, and in building a more diverse generation of healthcare leaders. Our partnership with Women’s College Hospital has shown us what’s possible when we invest in equity together.”
From creating space for important conversations through the Black Women’s Healthcare Summit, to helping a newcomer get to an appointment, to opening a door for a young person who can see a future for themselves in healthcare, Scotiabank’s partnership is helping turn a shared commitment to equity into action.
We are deeply grateful for five years of partnership, leadership and generosity and for Scotiabank’s belief in what becomes possible when we clear barriers together. Because the future of healthcare should be shaped by, accessible to and work better for everyone.