The University of Toronto is pressing forward with construction of a new medical academy at its Scarborough campus.

The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) will train physicians, nurse practitioners and other health-care professionals in the region.

The project has received funding as part of the Government of Ontario’s plan to increase the number of health-care workers in the province, and construction got the green light to proceed with a $25-million donation from Orlando Corporation.

“We are so grateful for the gift from the Orlando Corporation and the investment by the Ford Government, which have led us to this exciting day,” said U of T President Meric Gertler. “This state-of-the-art building will enable U of T to cultivate a bold new generation of health leaders who reflect the communities they serve.”

The purpose-built, five-storey building will occupy more than 140,000 square feet and sit at the corner of Military Trail and Morningside Avenue – directly across from the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.

To support the vision for this new academy, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and U of T’s Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing will expand their training to U of T Scarborough.

The university expects SAMIH will graduate approximately 40 physicians, 60 physician assistants, 30 nurse practitioners and 40 physical therapists per year.

“Our government is proud to support this historic medical school expansion,” said Premier Doug Ford. “The Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health will build on the investments we’re making to help ensure Scarborough and the Durham Region have the health care workers they need now and into the future.”

Projected to open in September 2026, the building will include a clinical psychology clinic, a pharmacy clinic, and clinical settings in which nurse practitioner students, under supervision, can provide direct care to the community.

The building will also feature an anatomy lab for medical students, two large technology-enhanced active learning classrooms, a 21-bed clinical skills lab and 10 case-based learning instructional labs.

Construction began on the site in early fall 2023, with a ground blessing conducted by U of T Scarborough’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives in October. Excavation is anticipated to start in January 2024. The project team includes EllisDon and the architecture firms Diamond Schmitt and MVRDV.