(The Stittsville District Lions Club are supporting the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation in raising funds for the hospital’s proposed expansion. Accepting the Stittsville Club’s first donation of $500.00 on November 26, 2025 are l-r: Lion Beth Lewis; Katie Barrett, Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation; Lion’s President Robert Gregory; and Lion Jack Burke.)
The Stittsville District Lions Club is entering into a new fundraising endeavour. The Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) will be expanding and modernizing the hospital to help shape the future of health care closer to home. The hospital was constructed in 1976 to serve a population of approximately 100,000 people and now serves approximately 500,000! With this in mind, the Lions want to support the Queensway Carleton Hospital and Foundation in this new endeavour.
The Lions held a community information session November 26, 2025 on the future of health care in Ottawa’s west end and to hear the proposed plans for expansion at the hospital. Katie Barrett, Manager of Corporate and Community Development for the QCH Foundation presented startling hospital visit statistics, as well as proposed actions to improve patient care.
Katie shared that, “investments in the hospital are made possible thanks to the generosity of supporters in our community such as the Stittsville District Lions Club.” The club has been generous supporters of Queensway Carleton Hospital since 1992 – giving over $140,000 to many priorities including the purchase of medical equipment, supporting the building of the Myers Automotive Acute Care of the Elderly Unit (ACE), the Hand in Hand Campaign and the Care Grows West Campaigns.
“West Ottawa and the surrounding area have grown considerably over the last decade – outpacing the average growth in Ottawa, Ontario, and Canada. The patient population is changing too. Sixty-two per cent of people admitted to the Queensway Carleton Hospital are over the age of 65. People over the age of 50 currently make up thirty-seven per cent of our city’s population, with that number is expected to grow,” added Katie.
As an example of these raised statistics, Katie stated that, “last fiscal year, over 80,000 people came through our Emergency Department, and we saw more than 126,000 in-patient days — a new record. At our peak, our hospital operated at 133% occupancy in our medicine beds and 150% occupancy in our Mental Health beds.”
In 2026, Queensway Carleton Hospital is celebrating its 50th anniversary – a milestone that belongs to every person, business, and organization that has helped shape QCH into the trusted pillar of care it is today. To mark QCH’s anniversary – and to ignite the next chapter of growth – QCH Foundation is proud to launch the Fifty for 50 Community Giving Campaign, inviting corporate donors and community partners to pledge $50,000 in 2026 in honour of QCH’s 50th anniversary. It will be a full year of celebration and impact storytelling.
Here are just a few examples of how QCH is improving care for patients and planning for the future:
- Revolutionizing nursing education with Carleton University.
- Reducing ambulance offload times.
- Reducing time for admitted patients to get a bed.
- Advancing geriatric care.
- Building momentum in diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Expanding our hospital’s capacity through a proposal and plans submitted to the provincial government.
The Stittsville Lions will be holding community fundraisers to support the Queensway Carleton Hospital and Foundation with their new expansion project. The Club has committed to raising funds towards the project. With many Stittsville residents receiving care at the Queensway Carleton, the Lions are aware of the importance of supporting this project that serves our community. Watch for further announcements to be made for fundraising events held by the Stittsville District Lions Club in support of this exciting project.
Let’s look back over the past 50 years with Dr. Andrew Falconer, President and CEO, of the Queensway Carleton Hospital – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm-Kgaq_8UU.