Sep. 27, 2024, Toronto, ON – Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) today announced it has received a $1 million gift from Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Surjit Babra and his wife Remy Babra, to help establish TMU’s new School of Medicine in Brampton.
“Surjit and Remy have identified a vital need in our communities, and I am grateful for their partnership in addressing it. Their investment will support a new generation of doctors who are culturally respectful, technologically advanced, committed to team based care, and prepared to transform our healthcare system,” says Mohamed Lachemi, president and vice-chancellor of TMU.
The donation marks a significant investment in the future of healthcare by supporting the opening of the first new medical school in the Greater Toronto Area in over a century. The capital project led by Diamond Schmitt will transform the former Bramalea Civic Centre into a state-of-the-art medical school that will be home to medical students and a primary care clinic.
Located in Brampton, a diverse and rapidly growing community shaped by increased immigration, TMU’s School of Medicine will address healthcare disparities and increase primary care capacity, particularly in underserved populations.
“I believe everyone has the right to a doctor, and yet not everyone has one. With our aging population and a limited number of new doctors, investing in medical students is crucial,” says donor Surjit Babra, Chairman and CEO of SkyLink Capital Corp.
As a pipeline to the medical profession, TMU’s new School of Medicine has adopted equitable student recruitment processes and holistic admissions based on academic performance and life experience. The school will purposefully admit equity-deserving students and identify applicants interested in primary care practice, particularly in medically underserved areas.
“Training innovative, inclusive physicians starts at recruitment. With that in mind, we have developed intentional application and admissions processes that have the school’s mission at their core, and that reflect community and societal needs.This generous gift will help the school realize its commitment to fostering equity and diversity in healthcare,” said Dr. Teresa M. Chan, Dean, School of Medicine and Vice-President, Medical Affairs.
The Babra family’s early and generous support will be proudly recognized through the naming of the school’s largest classroom, the Surjit and Remy Babra Classroom, an active learning space designed to foster innovative, engaging and interactive learning experiences.
Toronto Metropolitan University is tremendously grateful to the Babra family for their support of the TMU School of Medicine and the next generation of medical students, as well as the Brampton community.