A Niagara family known for its philanthropy and innovation is making a major investment in the region’s healthcare future.
The Haj-Ahmad Family Foundation has donated $500,000 to Niagara College’s Together campaign, supporting the construction of the College’s new Healthcare Education building at the Welland Campus — a 75,000-square-foot facility that will expand teaching, learning, and patient care spaces for hundreds of future healthcare professionals.
Once completed in 2027, the new building will accommodate an additional 800 students across in-demand programs such as nursing, personal support worker, paramedic, and dental care, addressing urgent workforce shortages in Niagara and beyond.
“The remarkable generosity of the Haj-Ahmad family recognizes the important role that Niagara College plays in Niagara’s healthcare sector and it significantly enhances our ability to provide highly-skilled, job-ready graduates who will drive frontline care in our community,” said Niagara College President Sean Kennedy.
The donation will specifically help expand Niagara College’s Pharmacy Technician program and establish new scholarships for students pursuing that field. In recognition of the family’s contribution, the new pharmacy teaching facility will be named the Haj-Ahmad Family Pharmacy Lab, providing state-of-the-art space for future technicians to develop their skills.
“Education is the cornerstone of a thriving community and we recognize the important role that colleges play in front line healthcare, training the workforce who care for our loved ones,” said the Haj-Ahmad family. “For this reason, we are happy to contribute to a project that will advance healthcare training capacity at Niagara College for our community.”
Dr. Yousef Haj-Ahmad, founder and CEO of Norgen Biotek in Thorold, has been a driving force in biotechnology innovation since 1998. Through the Haj-Ahmad Family Foundation, his family has long supported initiatives that strengthen education and sport across Niagara.
“The Haj-Ahmad family embodies a spirit of innovation and a passion for giving back,” said Gord Arbeau, Vice President, Advancement. “This gift will help train more frontline healthcare providers that are so needed in our region. The family is strengthening health education and helping to address local healthcare workforce shortages in the immediate and foreseeable future.”
The new Healthcare Education building will include labs, classrooms, and patient care spaces designed to give students hands-on learning experiences that mirror real-world healthcare environments.
According to Dr. Sinéad McElhone, NC’s Dean of Health Sciences, the gift will have an immediate and lasting impact on students. “We are deeply grateful to Dr. Haj-Ahmad and his family for generously supporting our health programs and the success of our Pharmacy Technician students,” she said. “These students, as well as students in our Community Pharmacy Assistant certificate program, will go on to make important contributions in various healthcare settings within Niagara and beyond.”
That contribution is already visible at Niagara Health, where more than half of the current pharmacy staff are Niagara College alumni. At the Marotta Family Hospital in St. Catharines, nearly the entire pharmacy technician team consists of NC graduates.
“My training at Niagara College was the perfect preparation for my job as a pharmacy technician at Niagara Health. We handle complex patient care and support our medical team,” said Natalie Romero, a 2023 graduate of the Pharmacy Technician program. “The fact that most of my colleagues are also NC graduates really speaks volumes about the high quality and relevance of the education we received.”
Niagara College’s Together campaign is a multi-year, $50 million initiative aimed at addressing workforce shortages in healthcare and skilled trades, increasing access to education, and fostering research and innovation. Community partners and donors can learn more at niagaracollege.ca/together.
With this transformational gift from the Haj-Ahmad Family Foundation, Niagara College continues to build the talent pipeline that will strengthen Niagara’s healthcare system for years to come.
