Jay S. Hennick

Jay S. Hennick is a successful businessman and philanthropist. He is the Co‑Founder, Global Chairman & CEO, and controlling shareholder of Colliers International (NASDAQ: CIGI), a global diversified professional services and investment management company operating across commercial real estate, engineering, and investment management, supported by more than 24,000 professionals worldwide. He is also the Founder, Chairman, and largest individual shareholder of FirstService Corporation (NASDAQ: FSV), a North American leader in essential outsourced property services with approximately 30,000 employees.

In addition, Jay chairs The Hennick Group, a private family investment firm that partners with proven leadership teams to build high‑quality, growth‑oriented businesses and invests in institutional‑grade real estate globally. The firm has a long‑standing focus on durable, service‑oriented platforms and includes investments in related professional services businesses such as Foster + Partners, the globally renowned architecture, design, engineering, and infrastructure firm, and Gardiner & Theobald, a leading project, cost, and program management firm operating in the UK and the United States.

Jay holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University and a Doctor of Laws (J.D.) from the University of Ottawa and has received Honorary Doctorates from both institutions. In recognition of his achievements, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2019, received the International Horatio Alger Award, and has been recognized as Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year and Canada’s CEO of the Year. Since 2022, he has been included on Forbes’ annual list of the world’s billionaires.

In philanthropy, Jay served as Chairman of the Board of the Sinai Health System from 2013 to 2016. The Hennick family is active through The Hennick Family Foundation, which focuses its giving on healthcare, education, and the arts.

Barbara Hennick

Barbara Hennick, CPA, CA, is a senior philanthropic leader and seasoned governance professional with extensive experience supporting large, complex public institutions in healthcare, education, and the arts. She serves as President & CEO of The Hennick Family Foundation, where she leads strategic grant‑making and oversees major philanthropic investments that strengthen the capacity and long‑term sustainability of key Canadian organizations.

Barbara began her career as a Chartered Professional Accountant, following the completion of her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto. She spent ten years in public accounting and private industry before transitioning into full‑time philanthropic leadership. Her governance work is grounded in strong financial oversight, audit expertise, and a long record of volunteer service.

Through The Hennick Family Foundation, founded in 2008, Barbara has advanced large‑scale institutional investments focused on healthcare innovation, higher education, and cultural renewal.

Barbara currently is a Director of the Sinai Health System and a member of the Royal Ontario Museum Board of Governors where she serves on their respective Audit Committees. Her previous governance roles include Director of the Sinai Health Foundation Board, Chair of the Audit Committee for the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation, and President of the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary Board.

She is widely recognized for her disciplined financial leadership, her commitment to institutional excellence, and her deep engagement in the community.

In 2008, Jay and Barbara Hennick established The Hennick Family Foundation, focusing their philanthropy on three interconnected priorities: education, healthcare, and the arts.

The Hennick Family Foundation does not give casually or without purpose. They give strategically, at scale, and always to institutions that have earned it through genuine excellence and a deep commitment to serving their communities. A partial record of their generosity in healthcare illustrates this clearly:

1. The Hennick Family Wellness Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital
2. A $36 million donation to Sinai Health, renaming that facility the Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital

Jay and Barbara Hennick chose to donate to Humber River Health based on what they observed about our actual performance: our outstanding, yet rarely promoted, results. In his own words, Jay pointed directly to what differentiates Humber River Health from every other hospital in the Greater Toronto Area:

1. Canada’s first fully digital hospital
2. The largest community hospital in the GTA
3. Zero hallway care
4. Among the lowest surgical wait times in the region
5. Top 5 ranking in Ontario hospitals across every category assessed by the American College of Surgeons
6. A pioneer in robotic-assisted surgery, using the da Vinci system to reduce patient pain, scarring, and recovery time

When Jay and Barbara Hennick looked at Humber River Health, they saw exactly what they look for in every institution they support: a proven track record, a culture of execution, and a clear trajectory toward even greater impact.

Their donation is a vote of confidence in an organization already doing the work. It is an investment in Humber River Health’s commitment to delivering world-class care and in our ambition to lead the way in building a healthcare system that is ready for the future, today.

The $50 million donation is the largest in Humber River Health’s history and one of the largest donations to a community hospital in Canada. It will support innovation, research, technology, and clinical programs that enhance patient care and expand the hospital’s ability to serve a growing community.

The donation also establishes long-term funding through an endowment that will support the hospital’s future priorities.

In December 2019, the provincial government lifted the Hospital Naming Directive, recognizing the important role philanthropy plays in health care funding and making named recognition of historic gifts like this one possible. Since then, Ontario hospitals have commonly been renamed in honour and recognition of large donations.

Jay and Barbara Hennick’s remarkable $50 million donation to Humber River Health is the largest single donation in our history. In recognition of the The Hennick Family Foundation’s transformational donation, Humber River Health is honouring the philanthropic leadership and acknowledging the impact of a such a major investment.

On April 10, 2026, Humber River Health joined the Hennick family along with community leaders, dignitaries, our staff, physicians, volunteers, community, and patients at the South Entrance of the Hennick Humber Hospital to announce and celebrate the donation and name change with our community.

The corporate name of Humber River Health and its Foundation remain unchanged. The Foundation will also adopt the name Hennick Humber Hospital Foundation for fundraising purposes, ensuring that donor-facing communications are tightly connected to the newly named hospital. The Humber River Health system, encompassing the hospital, the Foundation, and the broader network of community-based care locations, continues as a unified organization.

The name on the building changes; the promise of delivering tomorrow’s healthcare, today and the people behind it do not.

We thank the Hennick family for their incredible generosity and commitment to ensuring the very best care is available to everyone in our community.

The $50 million gift is a targeted investment in the areas where Humber River Health’s capacity to improve lives is greatest, and where it can accelerate the next generation of innovation, research, and clinical excellence that has defined Humber River Health’s rise to national healthcare leadership.

The funding will support several strategic priorities, including:

• Development of centres of excellence and innovation

• Expansion of research initiatives

• Investment in advanced technology and medical equipment

• Support for clinical programs that serve patients and families

• Special projects that address emerging healthcare opportunities

These investments will help Humber River Health continue to lead in delivering innovative, high-quality care.

A significant portion of the gift will also establish the Hennick Humber Hospital Endowment Fund, creating a permanent source of funding that will support the hospital’s future growth.

As part of their $50 million commitment, we are establishing the Hennick Humber Hospital Endowment Fund: a named, endowed, expendable income and restricted fund that will serve as a permanent source of discretionary funding for Humber River Health.

The most powerful feature of the endowment is its matching structure. The Hennick Family Foundation will match every dollar donated to the fund by other contributors, up to a maximum of $12.5 million. In practical terms, this means that community donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic supporters can see their gifts immediately doubled, with the Hennick Family Foundation standing behind every contribution made.

This structure transforms the endowment into something larger than a single gift. It is an invitation for others to invest in Humber River Health’s future, backed by the confidence of one of Canada’s most respected philanthropic families, and designed to grow in value and impact for generations to come.

Learn more about the Hennick Humber Hospital Endowment Fund