A new facility for Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon will increase capacity to accommodate more families, following an investment of up to $18.8 million from the federal government.
The current facility is operating at full capacity with 73 bedrooms, and there is growing demand for additional space to support families of children receiving life-saving medical treatment. Funding will provide for the construction of a second facility, Willow House, which will double the number of families accommodated and enhance support services for those with extended hospital stays.
It will continue to offer important programs such as music therapy, art therapy, and daily family meals, ensuring families have the support they need to focus on the health and well-being of their loved ones while maintaining equitable access to pediatric health care.
“We are deeply grateful to the Government of Canada for this transformative investment in Willow House. This $18 million commitment brings us significantly closer to making Willow House a reality for families across British Columbia and the Yukon. With this support, we can expand our capacity to keep more families close to their children as they receive life-saving medical care providing not only a place to stay, but also the comfort, community, and compassion that make all the difference during the most difficult times,” said Richard Pass, CEO, Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon.
Willow House will be a fully accessible, 130,000-square-foot facility featuring 75 family suites, as well as indoor and outdoor common areas. This new net-zero building will address both current and future needs by providing affordable long-term accommodation for vulnerable families and expanding capacity to better serve larger, more diverse, and long-stay families.
Designed by Michael Green Architecture, the building features 12 storeys of structural mass timber, including CLT floor and roof panels, glulam columns and beams and an innovative CLT shear wall system. Willow House will be, at the time of its construction, the tallest building in a high-seismic zone to use mass timber for gravity and lateral force resistance.
