BMO Invests $300,000 to Reduce Barriers for Parents Needing High-Risk Pregnancy Care at NRGH 

“We have many women who are pregnant who need to come to Nanaimo and wait to deliver their baby. It may be because their home community does not have a hospital, or they have a high-risk pregnancy, and their local community does not have a Neonatal ICU,” shared Trina Knight, Manager, Child, Youth & Family, NRGH. “Whatever the reason, being away from home and community support puts huge stress on families and women. This financial donation from BMO will take a huge burden off women and families.”

NRGH is the only Level 2 Perinatal Unit serving Central and North Vancouver Island, providing advanced assessment and monitoring for women under 36 weeks’ gestation. Many patients are asked to remain in the Nanaimo area for ongoing monitoring, however, Nanaimo does not have any ‘home-away-from-home’ facilities where patients and their families can stay comfortably while receiving essential medical care.

“Everyone deserves access to the medical care they need, no matter where they live,” said James Kitamura, Regional President, Personal Banking, British Columbia and Yukon Region, BMO. “BMO is committed to helping remove barriers to essential healthcare and this donation will provide critical support for women with high-risk pregnancies, ensuring they can access care without added financial stress. Together with the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation, we are building stronger communities and improving health outcomes for families across Vancouver Island.”

BMO’s investment will provide immediate, practical support to antenatal patients while NDHF develops a long-term vision for a dedicated home-away-from-home. Through this program, NDHF will now be able to offer funding for temporary accommodation, food assistance, and local transportation to and from the hospital. In addition, NRGH’s social work department will be able to identify women in need from rural, remote, and underserved communities across the Island.

“This contribution from BMO directly addresses a major barrier for many expectant mothers who already face medical uncertainty, long travel distances, the costs of accommodation, and time away from work and family,” said Barney Ellis-Perry, NDHF CEO. “This is a powerful example of how partnership can advance health equity and ensure that families across Vancouver Island receive the care they need, when they need it, and we thank BMO for their stewardship.”

About Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation

The Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation was founded to support Island Health facilities. Today, we are raising millions to support our region’s healthcare facilities by leading major fundraising campaigns for critical medical equipment, construction projects and programs that provide the best and highest level of healthcare to the residents on central and north Vancouver Island.

Learn more: https://nanaimohospitalfoundation.com

BMO Gives. Good Grows here.

Helping communities thrive by supporting the organizations that sustain them and encouraging employee giving and volunteerism is at the heart of BMO’s Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life.

In 2024, we directed more than $108 million to drive progress for communities, which included $101 million in philanthropic contributions to hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations across North America.

Our colleagues spent over 54,000 hours volunteering in the community and contributed more than $39 million of donations through employee-driven giving in our annual campaigns.

For more information, please visit BMO.com.

Media Contact:
Andrea Bava
778-908-1764 | andrea@blitzme.ca