​By: Bruce Squires, President, McMaster Children’s Hospital and Vice President Women’s and Children’s Health, Hamilton Health Sciences (outgoing)

As I prepare to step into my new role as President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, I want to reflect on the extraordinary work of the teams at McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), and those of our many partners; and on what it has meant to serve children, families, and the broader pediatric and women’s health system in Ontario over the last seven years.

At MCH and HHS, I have had the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated, skilled, and compassionate professionals in children’s and women’s health. The clinicians, staff, learners, volunteers, and leaders here deliver care of the highest quality - often under significant pressure - and do so with a deep and unwavering commitment to children and families. And, we are privileged to work closely with remarkable partners across this region, province and beyond - all in the best interests of the children, youth and families we collectively serve.

Together, we achieved important progress for pediatric care across Ontario. We helped establish the Children’s Health Coalition and secured a historic $330 million provincial investment in children’s health, including $60 million to support care at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Through the Growing MCH initiative, teams expanded inpatient, outpatient, and ICU capacity; added more than 300 new positions; reduced pediatric surgical wait times; and achieved top provincial performance in emergency department flow among children’s hospitals.

The pandemic further demonstrated the strength – and drove increased and improved connectivity - of Ontario’s pediatric sector. MCH and HHS teams responded with agility and leadership - launching vaccination programs, opening rapid assessment and RSV clinics, expanding virtual care, managing outbreaks, and supporting system recovery. At the same time, partnerships and innovations such as the Midwifery Care Unit, the Extensive Needs Service, and the development of a pediatric hospice created new models of care that are influencing practice here and beyond.

These accomplishments reflect a shared commitment across the sector to collaboration, evidence-based care, equity, and innovation. They are a testament to what is possible when health system partners work together to prioritize the needs of children and families. By working together, we are making remarkable and lasting differences for Canada’s more than eight million children and youth. 

As I shift into a new career chapter, I am deeply optimistic about the future of children’s health in Ontario. There is significant opportunity ahead - to strengthen integration, advance research and education, grow the pediatric care workforce, and continue improving access and outcomes for kids and their families. And in the context of such significant pressures facing the health system and society as a whole, we must keep our focus on the health and wellbeing of children and families.  

I have every confidence that the teams at McMaster Children’s Hospital and Hamilton Health Sciences will continue to play a leading role in that future. I leave with great gratitude for the privilege of serving alongside them, and with continued enthusiasm for what lies ahead at Holland Bloorview and for children’s health across our province.