Dalla Lana Family

Paul and Alessandra Dalla Lana: Patrons of the Medical Arts

Bricks and mortar are at the foundation of real estate, but the true currency of the industry may be the hopes and potential it creates for the people who live and work inside. After all, a physical structure is only as meaningful as whatever aspirations it houses—building a family, a business, or developing a vaccine.

Paul Dalla Lana is a real estate developer by trade, one who has carved a niche in the health care industry by developing and acquiring medical arts buildings in major centres across the country. He is President and founder of NorthWest Value Partners Inc., which is the largest private owner and manager of medical office buildings and health care facilities within Canada, headquartered in Toronto.

As of late, though, he and his wife Alessandra Dalla Lana have become patrons of the medical arts, too. In line with providing “homes” to health care, they recently helped to build a home for what will become a leader of public health in Canada: the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. The Dalla Lanas donated $20 million to the new school, which will be used to fund scholarships and research chairs. This transformative donation is the largest gift ever given to public health in Canada and will ensure a future of innovative public health research at U of T. Catering to the health care industry, Dalla Lana admits a longstanding interest in public health, having seen it operating at a grassroots level: “My initial interest in public health came from exposure to the Canadian health care system through our company—NorthWest Healthcare Properties. We have a wide variety of health care agencies and over 10,000 physicians as tenants in our portfolio. Seeing the demographic and financial pressures these tenants were experiencing started me thinking about comprehensives ways to improve things. As health policy is an important part of public health in our country, the connection was made.”

Dalla Lana, whose background includes degrees in economics and finance, recognizes a good investment when he sees one, as well as the importance of reaching critical mass for any successful enterprise. He saw that many of these qualities existed at the University of Toronto and in the immediate health care community with respect to public health. “We were attracted by the rich history and commitment to public health at the University as well as the depth of existing infrastructure in place. We shared the vision of the many leaders in the various disciplines in concentrating and focusing these capabilities. It seemed to us that the goal to become both a Canadian and international leader in these fields, if not already the case, would be achievable.”

With the injection of funding, the new Dalla Lana School of Public Health can attract enough top students, faculty, and researchers to build on a strong international reputation in public health research. As it stands, the school has already drawn to the helm, Prof. Jack Mandel.

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health is poised to step into the future and onto an international stage. Positioned as an interdisciplinary school, its reach will extend far beyond managing outbreaks, such as SARS, to disease prevention and health promotion, including addressing the growing obesity epidemic and a challenged health care system.

The Dalla Lana School will team with other departments and faculties such as Dentistry, Nursing and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, as well as U of T’s affiliated hospitals, local, provincial and national governments and public health agencies. Graduate program offerings include biostatistics, epidemiology, occupational and environmental health sciences, social and behavioural health sciences, public health policy, global health and several interdisciplinary specializations.

“We are hopeful that the school will be able to contribute to solving some of the most challenging health care issues our society faces,” say the Dalla Lanas.

By: Angela Pirisi