SickKids named world’s best children’s hospital

Unique programs, national and global impact reflected in top ranking

TORONTO – The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has been named by Newsweek and Statista as the best children’s health-care centre in the world, topping the list of 250 children's hospitals globally.

It is the fifth consecutive year that SickKids has been ranked among the top two paediatric hospitals in the world by Newsweek, and the second time we’ve achieved the top spot.

“This is an incredible honour and something that all of us, not just at SickKids but across Ontario and Canada, should be extremely proud of,” says Dr. Ronald Cohn, President and CEO of SickKids. “As we’ve celebrated our 150th anniversary this year, I’ve often remarked that the care, research and learning that happen at SickKids are second to none — this ranking reaffirms that. Our impact is undeniable, and behind our unique and renowned clinical programs and services are the real heroes — our staff, trainees, volunteers and donors.”

SickKids’ national and global impact

Capable of managing the most severe forms of disease and complex disorders, SickKids offers more unique programs, services and procedures than any paediatric hospital in the country. It is the sole or largest provider of many medical and surgical programs and services provincially, and at times nationally. SickKids:

• is Canada’s only provider of more than 90 specialized programs, services and procedures, and Ontario’s only provider of more than 300 specialized programs, services and procedures.
• is a national leader in paediatric cancer research and is often the first Canadian site to open a clinical trial for new or innovative treatments.
• conducts more than half of paediatric transplants in Canada, including 75 per cent of liver transplants, 60 per cent of heart transplants, and more than 50 per cent of bone marrow transplants.
• performs close to 100 per cent of Ontario’s complex paediatric heart surgeries at the SickKids Labatt Family Heart Centre and 95 per cent of Ontario’s paediatric organ and bone marrow transplants at the SickKids Garron Family Cancer Centre.
• is home to the busiest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the country and provides leading-edge care to more than 850 critically ill babies a year.
• is home to the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Brain and Mental Health which has the first and largest paediatric deep brain stimulation and neuromodulation program in Canada, the first and largest multi-disciplinary neurovascular program in Canada dedicated exclusively to children and the only fetal spina bifida surgical program in Canada.
• has the world’s biggest and most prestigious hands-on cardiac surgical training program, which uses realistic 3D models to train paediatric heart surgeons from around the globe.
• is the top research-intensive children’s hospital in Canada, among the top three in the world, and home to over 3,000 researchers, trainees and staff who tackle the toughest scientific challenges in child health. We attract global research talent, with over 200 international graduate students and research fellows from almost 50 countries.
• invests in the next generation of child health leaders. Every year, more than 2,000 medical residents and fellows, and other clinical and corporate students from across Canada and around the world come to SickKids for training.
• leverages our world-renowned expertise in clinical practice, education and research to improve child health outcomes worldwide. SickKids International has consulted on 27 projects in more than 16 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, developing programs and transforming health delivery systems, improving access to high-quality paediatric care. Our staff have trained more than 15,000 physicians, nurses and allied health professionals and delivered almost 150 nursing education programs to build long-term capability that helps transform care delivery for children around the world.
• conducts groundbreaking work in 27 countries through the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health, informing policies, introducing innovations and partnering locally to train health-care staff.

SickKids Research Institute continues to make major breakthroughs with global implications and publishes more than 2,000 articles a year, garnering thousands of citations in other publications. With seven research programs spanning the spectrum of investigative approaches to health research, SickKids proudly invests in cutting-edge research to drive advancements in child health.

SickKids Learning Institute is a global leader in transformational paediatric education and learning. Last year, our innovative interprofessional simulation program supported almost 10,000 participants from across Canada and around the world in nearly 900 sessions. As we advance the era of Precision Child Health, the Learning Institute will be laser-focused on precision learning, progressive approaches and global collaboration to prepare a future-ready paediatric health-care workforce.

“Congratulations to all the health-care staff, researchers and volunteers at SickKids for once again being recognized as the best children’s health-care centre in the world,” says Premier Doug Ford. “Your commitment and expertise are saving lives in Ontario and around the world, making an incredible difference in the lives of thousands of children and their families. On behalf of the people of Ontario, thank you and congratulations.”

“For 150 years, SickKids has been a beacon of hope for children and families. To be recognized as the world’s leading children’s hospital at this milestone moment is a powerful testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and compassion in child health,” says Emily Gruenwoldt, President & CEO, Children’s Healthcare Canada and Executive Director, Pediatric Chairs of Canada.

As SickKids celebrates being ranked the world’s top children’s hospital and continues to mark 150 years of achievements and innovations, a movement is taking shape that will rewrite the rules and smash the barriers of the past. SickKids 2030 continues our journey to profoundly impact child and youth health through pioneering advancements in clinical care, research and education.

At the core of the strategy is advancing the era of Precision Child Health, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to one that is individualized to each patient’s unique characteristics, and driving advancements in patient outcomes and fueling discoveries through responsible artificial intelligence adoption.

The next chapter in SickKids’ rich history is now being written, one that will redefine paediatric health care, improve outcomes for children and families, and move SickKids closer to achieving its vision of Healthier Children. A Better World.

Read more about Newsweek and Statista’s 2026 World’s Best Specialized Hospitals list.

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About The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has been changing the game for paediatric health care since it became the first children’s hospital in Canada in 1875. Affiliated with the University of Toronto, SickKids is one of Canada’s most research-intensive hospitals and has generated discoveries that have helped children globally. Its mission is to provide the best in complex and specialized care; promote a culture centred around patient and family experience; pioneer scientific and clinical advancements; foster an academic environment that nurtures health-care professionals; and champion an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. In 2025, SickKids is celebrating 150 years of excellence in children's health, continuing to advance Precision Child Health, its groundbreaking movement to deliver individualized care, including responsibly using artificial intelligence to improve clinical care and research. SickKids is proud of its vision for Healthier Children. A Better World.

Media contact

Sherina Harris
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
sherina.harris@sickkids.ca