Property owners partner with hospitals to bring care closer and cut wait times for Canadians
Canada’s health-care system, despite being among the most expensive in the developed world, ranks near the bottom for access to physicians, hospital beds, and essential diagnostic equipment, according to a recent Fraser Institute study.
The report highlights that Canadians face some of the longest wait times for necessary medical care, even as costs continue to rise.
In contrast, countries like Switzerland and Australia achieve better outcomes and shorter wait times with similar or lower spending, in part by integrating private sector solutions into their universal systems.
Amid these persistent challenges, innovative partnerships are emerging between the real estate and health-care sectors.
RioCan REIT, one of Canada’s largest property owners, is actively repurposing retail and office spaces to deliver health-care services directly to communities, as reported by the Financial Post.
Jennifer Suess, senior vice-president and general counsel at RioCan, explained that offering access to health care in shopping centres or other non-traditional spaces can help alleviate congestion in emergency rooms by redirecting non-acute patients.
This approach is already taking shape in Toronto, where RioCan recently collaborated with North York General Hospital to host a community health and information clinic at the Yonge Sheppard Centre.
The event focused on connecting visitors—particularly newcomers and those without primary care access—with health-care providers, and was supported by funding from the Bank of Nova Scotia.
Earlier this year, RioCan also launched a walk-in virtual care clinic at the Lawrence Allen Centre in partnership with the Hospital for Sick Children, marking the hospital’s first virtual clinic outside its walls.
The potential for repurposing vacant office space is significant.
With a nine percent vacancy rate in RioCan’s office portfolio, several hundred thousand square feet could be converted for medical use.
Scott Figler, research director at Jones Lang LaSalle, noted that medical tenants are increasingly attracted to lower-tier office properties, which are otherwise challenging to lease in the current market.
For health-care providers, these partnerships offer a way to reach marginalized and high-needs populations.
Jennifer Dockery, vice-president at North York General, emphasized the importance of accessible locations, noting that commercial spaces with transit connections and nearby residential towers are ideal for community outreach.
As the Fraser Institute study points out, other countries have demonstrated that embracing the private sector as a partner in health-care delivery can yield substantial improvements in access and efficiency.
