Canadian emergency rooms face critical challenges. This $15M gift will fuel innovation to help EDs address gaps in care.

Sinai Health’s Schwartz Reisman Emergency Medicine Institute (SREMI) has received a transformational donation from The Gerald Schwartz & Heather Reisman Foundation to address pressing challenges in Canadian emergency departments.

Toronto, ON, July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This gift brings their total lifetime investment in Sinai Health to more than $50 million. With these funds, SREMI aims to expand its research and scale proven solutions across Canada – helping transform emergency care for patients and providers alike. Emergency departments across Canada are under unprecedented strain – from an aging population in need of specialized care, to rising mental health and substance-use crises, to an increasing number of cancer diagnoses made in the ER.

These are just a few of the many challenges that researchers at The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Emergency Medicine (SREMI), based at Mount Sinai Hospital, are trying to address. This $15-million gift will allow SREMI to scale existing programs, expand their impact on system and process improvements, and recruit and train top research talent.

Dr. Bjug Borgundvaag, Director of SREMI, emphasized the significance of the donation: “Every day, emergency departments across our country are being asked to do more with less. We are committed to creating a body of research that gives patients better tools to navigate the system and equips emergency departments with evidence-backed solutions to help fill in some of gaps in care we see every day. This gift will strengthen our efforts, and we are deeply grateful to Gerry and Heather for their continued support.”

Established in 2013 through an initial gift from Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman, SREMI is Canada’s first and only research institute dedicated to advancing knowledge in emergency medicine. It has since become a global leader in advancing evidence-based solutions for emergency care. Its key contributions include:

Supporting young adults: Launched a first-of-its-kind peer support program in 2020 for young people with mental health and substance use challenges. The program has now served more than 10,500 young people and expanded to other hospitals.
Improving senior care: Seniors now make up 30 per cent of patients in the ED. SREMI is advancing research on recognizing and reducing delirium while addressing loneliness and isolation.
Strengthening care during pregnancy loss: 4 out of 5 individuals experiencing pregnancy loss will visit an ED, and SREMI is exploring ways to offer better support to these patients.
Enhancing care pathways: They are also tackling other pressing care gaps by designing better ED experiences for those receiving a cancer diagnosis or presenting with problems related to addiction and mental health.

Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman expressed their motivation for the continued support: “Emergency departments are the front door to our health-care system. Supporting SREMI means investing in solutions that will improve care for patients across Canada. That’s why we were inspired to make a continuation gift.”

This gift brings their total lifetime investment in Sinai Health to more than $50 million. With these funds, SREMI aims to expand its research and scale proven solutions across Canada – helping transform emergency care for patients and providers alike.

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About Sinai Health Foundation

Sinai Health Foundation takes the vision of Sinai Health's physicians, clinicians, scientists and health-care providers and helps turn it into reality. Philanthropy is essential for advancing research, care, and outcomes for those facing cancer, a high-risk pregnancy, stroke recovery, and other conditions and diseases. Thanks to philanthropy, Sinai Health Foundation helps fund world-class facilities and offers patients access to integrated and exceptional care, tailored to meet their unique needs. Learn more at supportsinai.ca.

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Emily Wiles
Sinai Health Foundation
6476410982
emily.wiles@sinaihealthfoundation.ca

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