CAMH Marks Topping Off Milestone for Temerty Discovery Centre and Waverley House Secure Care & Recovery Building

June 15, 2026 – The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) celebrated a major construction milestone today with a topping off ceremony for two landmark redevelopment projects at its Queen Street campus: the Temerty Discovery Centre and the Waverley House Secure Care & Recovery Building. This special event marked the placement of the final steel beams in each structure and recognized the incredible community of people who helped bring these projects to life.

Together, these buildings will create modern, respectful, and compassionate spaces that support healing, advance world-leading mental health research and discovery, and strengthen CAMH’s connection to the surrounding community for generations to come.

“We are thrilled to celebrate and recognize the capstone of our historic 20-year campus transformation. Our campus redevelopment is a key element of our strategic plan, turning what was once a walled institution into a symbol of hope for the future of mental health care in Ontario and Canada,” said Sarah Downey, President & CEO, CAMH. “We are deeply grateful to the Ontario Government and our donor community for their bold investments in the future of mental health care, research, innovation, and recovery that made these two buildings possible.”

With the support and leadership of the Government of Ontario, these projects will significantly expand the province’s capacity for complex mental health care and innovation.

“Our government is proud to support CAMH as they reach this historic milestone in their campus transformation,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The Temerty Discovery Centre and the Waverley House Secure Care & Recovery Building represent a massive step forward in how we deliver mental health care in Ontario. By blending world-class research with compassionate, modern spaces for recovery, we are ensuring that individuals facing complex mental health challenges get the high-quality, dignified care they deserve, right here in our community.”

“Infrastructure Ontario is proud to help deliver CAMH's Waverley House Secure Care and Recovery Building. Thank you to CAMH, PCL and our government partners for your continued collaboration,” said Angela Clayton, President & CEO, Infrastructure Ontario. “This milestone reflects the strong partnerships driving progress toward enhanced forensic mental health services and better care for patients across Ontario.”

The Temerty Discovery Centre is named in recognition of a historic $75-million gift from the Temerty Foundation and has been made possible through the generosity of many donors. This includes major gifts from Orlando Corporation, whose $50-million contribution supported the Centre’s construction, as well as multi-million-dollar gifts from the Koerner Foundation, the Krembil Foundation and others. The Waverley House is named in recognition of historic support totaling $203 million from Bruce McKean and the Waverley House Foundation.

“This milestone is a powerful reminder of what the CAMH community can achieve when we believe in and invest in a better future for mental health,” said Anne-Marie Newton, President & CEO, CAMH Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to the individuals, families, foundations, corporations, partners and supporters whose generosity and leadership have helped bring us to this moment. The Temerty Discovery Centre will create a world-class environment for innovation and collaboration, while Waverley House will provide a modern, dignified setting for a population that has been overlooked for too long. The impact of these buildings will be felt through new breakthroughs in research, better care and more opportunities for recovery for generations to come.”

Temerty Discovery Centre

Spanning 385,000 square feet, the Temerty Discovery Centre will bring together CAMH's research programs under one roof, fostering collaboration and expediting innovations that improve lives. The state-of-the-art facility will house over two-thirds of CAMH’s 1,400+ research staff and will expand the capacity by 43 per cent to house new research scientists, staff, students, and trainees. The centre will provide dignified spaces for patients and families to participate in research studies, while its integration with care areas will ensure discoveries are swiftly translated into improved outcomes.

Waverley House Secure Care & Recovery Building

The Waverley House building will replace CAMH's outdated facilities for patients with complex mental illness who have encountered the legal system. This seven-story, modern building will feature 234 patient beds, clinics for community-based care, recovery-focused therapeutic spaces, and secure outdoor areas for treatment. By prioritizing patient-centered design and therapeutic innovation, Waverley House will set a new standard for forensic mental health care and recovery and contribute to a safer and healthier community.

“At PCL, we take pride in building the spaces that help shape stronger, healthier communities. Alongside our design and trade partners, we are proud to deliver CAMH’s vision for The Temerty Discovery Centre and Waverley House Secure Care and Recovery Buildings - projects that represent important progress in advancing mental health care,” said Myke Badry, Vice President and District Manager, PCL Constructors Canada Inc. “From the health care professionals and researchers advancing compassionate recovery and discovery, to the skilled tradespeople on site each day, we recognize and thank everyone who has made this milestone possible. Together, we are building the future of mental health, ensuring no one is left behind.”

By integrating care, research, education, sustainability, and community connection, CAMH’s redevelopment will help shape a future where mental illness is better understood, treated earlier, and met with compassion, dignity, and hope. The Temerty Discovery Centre is set to open in late 2027, with the Waverley House opening in 2029.

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ABOUT CAMH

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.

MEDIA CONTACT

CAMH media relations: Media@camh.ca