I stood outside the Richcraft Reception Hall yesterday morning, watching as Ottawa’s grey November sky provided a fitting backdrop for what would become a momentous occasion in the city’s healthcare history. The wind carried falling leaves across the hospital grounds as the Singhal family arrived – unassuming despite the weight of the announcement they were about to make.
“It’s about creating a legacy that matters,” Kris Singhal told me later, his voice quiet but resolute. The founder of Richcraft Homes, alongside his wife Manju and their children, had just pledged $20 million toward The Ottawa Hospital’s new campus – the largest single donation in the institution’s history.
The family’s gift will help fund what many are calling the most significant healthcare infrastructure project in Ottawa’s modern era. Expected to open in 2028, the 2.5-million-square-foot facility will replace the aging Civic Campus, a structure that has served the community since 1924 but now struggles with outdated infrastructure and space limitations.
Dr. Virginia Roth, The Ottawa Hospital’s Chief of Staff, explained the significance while giving me a tour of architectural renderings in the hospital boardroom. “This isn’t just about a new building,” she said, pausing at a detailed image of the planned trauma center. “It’s about reimagining how we deliver care for the next century.”
The new campus, situated on a 50-acre site at the eastern edge of the Central Experimental Farm, will feature expanded emergency services, state-of-the-art surgical facilities, and research spaces designed to foster innovation. According to hospital data, the facility will increase the region’s critical care capacity by nearly 40 percent – a crucial improvement given that Ottawa’s population is projected to grow by over 500,000 in the next two decades.
For the Singhals, who came to Canada from India in the 1980s and built Richcraft into one of Ottawa’s premier home building companies, this donation connects deeply to their immigrant journey. “We came with almost nothing,” Manju Singhal shared during the announcement ceremony. “This country gave us opportunity. The healthcare system gave us security. Now it’s our responsibility to strengthen it for future generations.”
Their daughter Angela, now President of Richcraft, nodded in agreement as her mother spoke. Later, she told me that her parents instilled the value of community investment from her earliest memories. “My father would always say that success means nothing if it doesn’t lift others,” she said.
The Singhals’ contribution joins a growing movement of private philanthropic support for Canadian healthcare institutions. A 2024 report by Healthcare Philanthropy Canada indicates that private donations now fund approximately 18 percent of capital healthcare projects across the country, up from just 11 percent a decade ago.
This shift comes as many Canadian hospitals face infrastructure challenges. According to the Canadian Medical Association, over 40 percent of Canada’s hospitals are more than 50 years old, with maintenance backlogs totaling nearly $28 billion nationwide. Public funding alone has proven insufficient to address these needs.
Yesterday’s announcement happened against this backdrop, but the mood remained celebratory. Hospital staff members lined the hallway outside the ceremony, some with tears in their eyes. Maria Kemp, a nurse who has worked at the Civic Campus for 22 years, explained their emotion: “We’ve been making do with outdated facilities for so long. This means we’ll finally have the environment our patients deserve.”
The hospital’s new design incorporates lessons learned during the pandemic, with flexible spaces that can quickly adapt to changing healthcare needs. Environmental sustainability features prominently as well – the facility will use geothermal heating and cooling systems expected to reduce energy costs by approximately 30 percent compared to conventional hospitals.
When I asked about the decision to name the hospital’s main entrance the Richcraft Reception Hall, Kris Singhal seemed almost embarrassed by the recognition. “Names aren’t important,” he said, looking around at the current facility. “What matters is that when someone needs critical care, this community has the very best available.”
The family’s philanthropy extends beyond this single donation. Through their Richcraft Group Foundation, they’ve supported numerous initiatives across Ottawa, including programs addressing food insecurity, education, and affordable housing. Last year, they provided $5 million to establish a mental health research center at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital, emphasized the timing of the gift. “We’re entering the most critical phase of this project,” he explained. “This donation provides both financial momentum and a powerful vote of confidence.”
As I left the ceremony, I passed by the current emergency department entrance. An elderly man was being helped from a car by paramedics, his family following closely behind. Their worried expressions reflected the universal vulnerability we all share when illness strikes – and underscored why investments in healthcare infrastructure matter so profoundly.
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation hopes this record gift will inspire others. With approximately $80 million still needed to complete the project’s funding requirements, hospital officials see the Singhals’ contribution as a potential catalyst.
“When people with means demonstrate this level of commitment,” said Jennifer Van Noort, the Foundation’s Vice President, “it often creates a ripple effect of generosity.”
As Ottawa’s healthcare landscape prepares for its most significant transformation in a century, the Singhals’ gift serves as a reminder that behind the architectural renderings and construction plans are human stories – of giving, of healing, and of a community investing in its shared future.
