$40 million donation to acute care hospital earns naming rights for Fancsy family
Windsor’s long-anticipated acute care hospital on County Road 42 now has a name—and a record-breaking boost toward its construction.
In a milestone announcement recently, Windsor Regional Hospital revealed that the facility will be called The Fancsy Family Hospital, in recognition of an extraordinary $40 million contribution from the Fancsy family.
The donation is the single-largest known private gift in Windsor-Essex history and one of the most generous ever made to a single organization in Canada.
“This is an extraordinary act of generosity,” said Karen Riddell, acting president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital.
“We are immensely grateful and deeply honored that the new hospital will bear the Fancsy family’s name.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford joined local leaders, dignitaries, and members of the Fancsy family for the announcement at the construction site.
“This record-breaking gift will help build The Fancsy Family Hospital and transform health care for families in Windsor-Essex for generations to come, supporting our nearly $60-billion plan to build more than 50 hospitals across the province,” Ford said.
John Thomas Fancsy, remembered as a brilliant engineer and wine enthusiast, played a pivotal role in shaping the region’s economy and culture.
After earning degrees in mathematics and engineering, he joined his family’s automotive parts business before co-founding the award-winning Viewpointe Estate Winery in Harrow with his brother Stephen.
The family has long been recognized for advancing the local automotive industry and supporting community initiatives.
Hospital officials noted Fancsy’s deep commitment to Windsor-Essex and his role in helping establish Essex County as a premier destination for wine lovers.
His mother, Antoinette, came from one of Windsor’s early French-settler families, studied nursing, and worked at Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, now part of Windsor Regional Hospital.
“This gift ensures the Fancsy family’s legacy will continue to positively impact the health of our community for decades to come,” said John Jedlinski, chair of the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation board.
The 60-acre hospital site, located near Windsor International Airport, will be more than 50 percent larger than the hospital’s current two campuses combined.
While the project’s original cost was estimated at around $2 billion, officials stated that the final figure will be higher.
The City of Windsor and the County of Essex have each committed $100 million toward the project.
The announcement follows a $15 million contribution from the Solcz Family Foundation last September, which will name the hospital’s birthing and pediatric care center and pediatric emergency zone.
With construction moving forward, hospital leaders say the Fancsy family’s landmark donation marks a defining moment in ensuring advanced, accessible health care for Windsor-Essex.