Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation: Building a Healthier Peninsula

Fall 2025
by Tabatha Golat

For nearly forty years, the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation (SPHHF) has been part of the fabric of our community. We are your neighbours, your friends, and your family. The hospital itself belongs to the people of the Saanich Peninsula and the Gulf Islands, and the Foundation exists because residents have always shown up to protect and strengthen local healthcare.

That sense of ownership is visible every day. Every donation, whether large or small, makes a difference. Every community fundraising initiative, every social media share, every business contribution adds up to something extraordinary. Together, these acts of generosity have renovated hospital spaces, purchased new equipment, and supported programs that bring care directly into the community. The result is a hospital and a healthcare system that reflect the values of the people who live here.

The Saanich Peninsula Hospital first opened its doors in 1974. At that time, the Foundation was not yet established. Just a few years later, a group of dedicated citizens created the organization that would go on to serve as a bridge between the hospital and its community. Since then, SPHHF has partnered with thousands of donors and volunteers to ensure that the hospital remains strong and that healthcare across the Peninsula continues to evolve and improve.

The most recent example is the renovation of the Acute Care Unit. With donor support, this $15 million project will create brighter and more comfortable rooms for patients and families while also giving physicians, nurses, and healthcare staff better spaces to do their essential work. The renovation will modernize the unit, improve efficiency, and create an environment where both patients and staff can thrive. It is the kind of transformation that happens only when a community rallies together and decides to invest in its future.

The Foundation’s work also extends beyond the hospital. In 2018, we added the word Healthcare to our name to reflect a wider vision. Supporting hospital care is vital, but so too is ensuring access to family physicians, home recovery programs, and outreach services for vulnerable residents. Initiatives such as the Healthcare Assist Recruitment Program (HARP) are already helping to bring new family physicians to the region, connecting thousands of residents with primary care. Other programs, including Community Health Services and the Saanich Peninsula Outreach Team (SPOT), bring care to people where they need it most, ensuring that no one in our community is left behind.

Through all of this, one truth remains constant: Anything is possible with the support of the people of this community.

As our CEO Heather Edward shares:
“Every improvement, every program, and every piece of equipment is here because of you. It is your generosity that ensures excellent healthcare remains close to home. On behalf of all of us at the Foundation, thank you for standing with us.”

The story of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation is ultimately the story of its community. It is a story of generosity and a shared belief that healthcare should be strong, sustainable, and accessible for everyone.

We invite you to learn more about our work and how you can be part of this legacy at www.sphf.ca. Together, we are building a healthier future.

Disclosure: This article was written by Tabatha Golat with the assistance of ChatGPT for editing and copy refinement.

Three images of staff of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. The first is a woman with a stethoscope around her neck, the second is a man sitting in a hair in a clinical setting, and the third is a group of 15 clinical staff together in the hospital hallway.

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