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Kitchener, ON, February 26, 2026 — Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) is proud to announce its recognition as one of the Top 100 hospitals in Canada by Newsweek. This ranking underscores WRHN’s commitment to providing high-quality care right here in our community.
The World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list, compiled by Newsweek and Statista, evaluates more than 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries. The ranking is determined by a rigorous methodology including recommendations from medical experts, patient satisfaction surveys, hospital quality metrics (such as safety and hygiene), and the implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).
For WRHN, this recognition is a validation of the culture built since the merger of the legacy St. Mary’s General Hospital and Grand River Hospital. The network’s success is a direct result of a culture where we put people first and empower our teams to find a way through every challenge. By challenging ourselves to be our best every day, we ensure that our staff, patients, and community can truly thrive together.
“Being named among the World’s Best Hospitals is an honour, one that reflects the heart, skill, and unwavering commitment of every team member across WRHN,” says Ron Gagnon, President and CEO of WRHN.
“This recognition is more than an award; it’s a moment to celebrate how we thrive together as a unified team. We strive to put people first in every decision, and when faced with the challenges of a rapidly growing region, our staff consistently find a way to innovate. This ranking challenges us to continue to be our best every day. We are grateful to our community for their continued generosity that ensures our teams have the tools and technology to support the best outcomes for the patients we are honoured to care for.”
The 2026 rankings highlight clinical excellence across several key areas:
This achievement comes at a pivotal time as WRHN continues to plan for a new, state-of-the-art hospital site at the University of Waterloo to meet the needs of a population expected to reach one million by 2050.
The full list of the World’s Best Hospitals 2026 can be viewed on the Newsweek website.
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About Waterloo Regional Health Network
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounced wren) represents the merger of two Hospitals into a single, integrated healthcare organization. Built on over 90 years of partnership, WRHN is home to seven regional programs and comprehensive healthcare services to meet the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. WRHN is redefining the healthcare experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered, community-driven healthcare. At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities.
Learn more at WRHN.ca.
Media Contact:
Cassandra Easton
Public Affairs Lead
Waterloo Regional Health Network
[email protected]
519-584-5548
