The Surrey Hospitals Foundation announced that Canadian business icon Jim Pattison is making a $4 million matching donation to kick start a fundraising campaign to upgrade the 10-year-old Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (JPOCSC) in Surrey. The Surrey Hospitals Foundation has a fundraising goal of $8 million by end of 2021 to purchase critical diagnostic medical equipment for the Centre. “I’ve always believed in giving back to the community and particularly in the area of health care,” says Jim Pattison, Chairman and CEO of the Jim Pattison Group. “This Centre has served the residents in Surrey and the Fraser Valley, and I am happy to be part of helping the Surrey Outpatient Centre with their new medical equipment.” The 188,000 square-foot award-winning LEED Goldoutpatient facility located at the Green Timbers site near Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) was opened in 2011, constructed at a cost of $237 million, to relieve pressure on the healthcare system by consolidating the services that don’t require an overnight stay at SMH, into one stand-alone facility. Its specialized clinics, surgical and diagnostic services have been key resources for the Fraser Health region, which serves 1 in 20 Canadians, and its unique services are utilized by patients throughout British Columbia. After a decade of service, the Centre is coming of age and requires additional investment beyond what is available from the health care system. Jim Pattison previously donated $5 million in 2011 towards the Centre with the community matching his gift through donations to the Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s 100 Days to Give campaign.
