Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada – Celebrating 30 Years
When Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Canada approached StrategyCorp in 2019, they were facing a strategic crossroads. The national charity, which provides temporary housing for families with sick children, had an escalating problem: demand was outpacing supply in virtually every location across the country. Outdated infrastructure, longer medical stays, and rising care complexity meant families were being turned away, simply because there wasn’t enough space.
Families with critically ill children were left scrambling for hotel rooms they couldn’t afford, sleeping in cars, or making impossible commutes, just to access lifesaving care. Some parents had to choose which child to accompany, while others had no choice but to delay treatment due to lack of housing. The further impact of COVID-19 on care facilities meant that new models of accommodating families with sick children became a must-have.
What RMHC needed wasn’t just funding. They needed a national government relations strategy that could cut through bureaucratic red tape, clarify their unique position in the healthcare ecosystem, and unlock public sector investment in capital expansion.
StrategyCorp developed and executed a strategy grounded in perseverance and practical problem-solving. First came the challenge of positioning RMHC in a system where they didn’t “fit.” They weren’t traditional healthcare, so health funding was off the table. They weren’t conventional housing either, meaning CMHC programs didn’t apply.
After exhaustive discussions across federal departments, StrategyCorp identified the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICBP) program, a subset of the federal infrastructure portfolio, as a potential path forward. It was a long shot, but a strategic one. They helped RMHC craft compelling applications, built political support across party lines, and secured a federal champion whose riding happened to include the Ottawa House.
The result? A $9.3 million federal grant for the Ottawa expansion. But the job wasn’t done. To unlock construction, provincial support was also required. StrategyCorp went directly to Premier Doug Ford and his team. Once again, RMHC didn’t fit into any program. But after relentless advocacy, a $3.5 million provincial grant was included in Ontario’s 2022 budget.
Shovels are now in the ground. The Ottawa house will double in size—serving more families when they need it most.
This proof of concept has cascaded nationwide: $18 million for BC, $4 million for Halifax, and $5 million in Manitoba, all backed by StrategyCorp’s guidance. More than just securing funding, this was a strategy that reshaped how governments see RMHC: transforming a series of square pegs into critical pillars of Canada’s pediatric care infrastructure.