Ottawa Construction News staff writer
A family whose name has become synonymous with building communities across Eastern Ontario is making a significant investment in the future of healthcare in the nation’s capital.
The Thomas Cavanagh Foundation has announced a $1 million donation to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s Campaign to Create Tomorrow, supporting plans for a new state-of-the-art hospital campus and advancing healthcare services for future generations.
The contribution reflects a legacy that began in 1953 when founder Tom Cavanagh launched a small hauling business with a single-axle dump truck. Over the following decades, the company grew into one of the region’s largest and most recognizable construction organizations, helping build roads, neighbourhoods, municipal infrastructure and communities throughout Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley.
While the company became known for its construction achievements, family members say Tom Cavanagh always viewed success through a broader lens.
“For Tom, success was never just about what you build,” said Lori Cavanagh, executive vice-president of Cavanagh Construction and chair of the Thomas Cavanagh Foundation. “It was about who you build it for.”
That philosophy continues to guide the family’s approach to community investment and philanthropy. Through the foundation, the Cavanagh family has supported a wide range of local initiatives over the years, reflecting Tom Cavanagh’s long-held belief in giving back to the communities that helped the company grow.
The latest donation is rooted in personal experience. Family members have spent time at The Ottawa Hospital in recent years, gaining firsthand insight into both the quality of care provided by healthcare professionals and the growing demands facing the healthcare system.
Those experiences reinforced the family’s desire to support healthcare infrastructure in the region.
“Hospitals touch every family at some point,” Lori Cavanagh said. “If you’re able to give, it’s something that truly makes a difference.”
The Campaign to Create Tomorrow is raising funds to support a new hospital campus that will feature modern patient facilities, advanced research capabilities and innovative healthcare technologies designed to meet the needs of a growing population.
Patrick Davies, director of marketing and communications for the Cavanagh Group of Companies and executive director of the Thomas Cavanagh Foundation, said the donation aligns closely with the company’s longstanding commitment to community building.
“Giving back locally is a part of who we are,” Davies said. “Our staff have built lives here with their families, so it’s never just about business. It’s about supporting the community we’re all a part of.”
For a company whose history is defined by building physical infrastructure, the donation represents an opportunity to help build something equally important: a stronger healthcare system for the region.
“Investing in something like this is really investing back into the community,” Lori Cavanagh said. “Hospitals touch every family at some point. If you’re able to give, it’s something that truly makes a difference.”
The $1 million gift will help support the next phase of healthcare development in Ottawa, ensuring future generations have access to world-class care close to home.
