Media Release - Transformative $4 million donated to build a family medicine clinic at a new Covenant Health facility
Generous $4-million donation from local family accelerates development of a Covenant Health family medicine clinic, enhancing healthcare delivery and ensuring Albertans have access to integrated, patient-centred care in southeast Edmonton.
Edmonton, AB – Covenant Foundation is proud to announce a historic $4-million donation to Covenant Health. The largest single donation ever received by Covenant Foundation, this transformational gift is an investment in the future of community-based health care in southeast Edmonton. The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, believe in Covenant Health’s vision for accessible, integrated care, and their gift will directly fund a family medicine clinic.
The family medicine clinic is being built in Covenant Health’s new Community Health Centre — the first phase of the Covenant Wellness Community in southeast Edmonton. The Community Health Centre is currently under construction and set to open in fall 2025, housing outpatient clinics relocated from the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, along with doctors’ offices, diagnostic imaging and other health, wellness and community services.
“We want to empower people to live and age well in community, and this remarkable gift will help us achieve our vision and transform healthcare delivery,” said Patrick Dumelie, chief executive officer of Covenant. “By shifting to community-based care, we can make the health system more efficient, free up hospital resources and provide better access to quality care in the most appropriate settings.”
Lisa Munro, president and chief executive officer of Covenant Foundation, emphasized the impact of this record-breaking donation, stating, “This is an extraordinary moment for Covenant Foundation. We are deeply moved by this family’s generosity. Their support will help ensure that families and individuals have seamless access to integrated healthcare services in a family medicine clinic rather than relying on hospitals for non-urgent care.”
“This generous donation marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing mission to innovate and improve healthcare delivery,” said Cathie Calarco, director of development for Covenant Foundation. “The family medicine clinic will be a cornerstone of the Community Health Centre, and this transformational gift ensures it will be equipped to offer high-quality, community-focused health care to those who need it most.”
For more information about the Covenant Wellness Community, please visit covenantwellnesscommunity.ca.
Media contact:
Lindsay Guthrie, marketing and communications advisor Covenant Foundation 587.686.8611 [email protected]
About Covenant Foundation
Covenant Foundation proudly supports Covenant Health, Covenant Care and Covenant Living and their 155-year legacy of healing the body, enriching the mind and nurturing the soul. The foundation raises funds to invest in compassionate programs, leading-edge research and training, enhanced care spaces and state-of-the-art equipment at 22 Covenant hospitals and continuing care facilities across Alberta. Focusing philanthropic support on health issues facing vulnerable and under-served populations, and on the unmet needs of communities, the foundation’s priority areas include seniors’ health and well-being, mental health and addictions, rural care, palliative care, women and children’s health, and spiritual care and mission.
About Covenant Wellness Community
The Community Health Centre is the anchor of the Covenant Wellness Community in southeast Edmonton. Opening in fall 2025, this three-story health and wellness destination will provide access to primary health care, medical services and community services in a single location. Covenant Wellness Community is an innovative model for creating vibrant communities of health and healing. Future phases of the Covenant Wellness Community in southeast Edmonton will integrate the Community Health Centre with residential housing, seniors' continuing care, commercial retail and more in one accessible location.
About Covenant Health
Covenant Health is one of Canada’s largest Catholic healthcare organizations, providing compassionate care across 17 sites in Alberta. Committed to serving the whole person - body, mind, and soul. Covenant Health focuses on acute care, mental health services, continuing care, palliative care, and rural health. For more information, visit covenanthealth.ca.
For over 155 years, Covenant’s mission has been guided by the visionary leadership of our Founding Sisters—women of faith and courage who cared for the sick, forgotten and most vulnerable in their communities. Among the first to arrive were the Grey Nuns, who arrived in Alberta in 1863 with a bold vision to serve those in need. With unwavering dedication, they established hospitals, schools and social services, shaping the province’s culture of care. Their legacy lives on in Covenant’s commitment to holistic, compassionate health care that serves people of all backgrounds.
