Author: Samira Prasad

On June 30, 2026, Dr. Stephen Hwang will conclude his tenure as director of St. Michael’s Hospital’s MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Canada’s largest research centre focused on health equity and the social determinants of health. 

A world-renowned scientist and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health, Dr. Hwang took on this role in 2015 and has now served the maximum of two five-year terms – plus one “bonus year,” as he jokingly calls it (his first term was extended due to the pandemic). 

Although Dr. Hwang is leaving big shoes to fill as director, he isn’t going far. His research program will continue to be based at MAP under his leadership with a great deal of exciting work ahead. 

Transformative, national impact 

Dr. Hwang’s legacy as MAP director is nothing short of extraordinary. Under his leadership, MAP has more than doubled in size and quintupled in multi-year funding. 

Despite pandemic-era research shutdowns and a major, unexpected change to the centre’s funding model, the centre has transformed from a largely Ontario-focused academic hub to a global leader in developing, implementing and scaling evidence-driven health equity solutions, with impacts that span from local to national and beyond. 

Through it all, Dr. Hwang’s approach has been grounded in his commitment to “servant leadership,” supportive team building and above all, a deep respect for his partners’ and colleagues’ unique perspectives and experiences. 

We talked with Stephen to reflect on his eventful and impactful decade in the role. 

Q: Looking back over the past 11 years, what are some highlights that you’re most proud of? 

When I started in the role, MAP had just lost our core provincial funding. We had to quickly pivot to a philanthropic model, but it wasn’t clear how to do that. Working with the St. Michael’s Foundation and their incredible volunteers to get that first fundraising campaign off the ground, and realizing that there was indeed donor interest with the potential to sustain MAP, was a big moment. It felt like a huge turning point for the organization. 

Our Solutions for Healthy Cities symposia were also major highlights for me. They have all been so inspiring, and great to be together in person. 

I’m thankful and extremely proud of our national Even the Odds partnership with Staples Canada and how it’s grown, thanks to Staples’ leadership and vision. It has pushed MAP to get even more ambitious about our geographic reach and impact, and enabled us to scale our work in ways we could only have dreamed of 10 or 11 years ago. 

Finally, I wouldn’t call it a highlight, but leading the centre through the pandemic was an honour. It was an extremely difficult time, but we pulled together at MAP and pivoted very quickly to fill an urgent need for research on COVID-19 and how to improve access to care and support during lockdowns. 

Q: What’s been the hardest part of the job? 

My first instinct is to always be as egalitarian and non-hierarchical as possible as a leader and to practice servant leadership. However as director, I also had to learn that sometimes a leader must make tough decisions based on their own best judgment. There are some decisions you can’t take a vote on, and also some decisions that not everyone will agree with. In those situations, I reflected on MAP’s and my own values and principles, I thought very carefully about appropriate and fair processes, and I sought the advice of wise counsel. Those things were all very helpful, but it was still something I had to learn to do. 

Also, back to the pandemic – that was definitely hard. Our people at MAP were dealing with so much. For me, oddly, between leading MAP and working as a general internist at the hospital, the most straightforward part of the pandemic was my work taking care of patients with COVID. That part was squarely within my professional experience. At MAP, I had to figure out how to support our people who were struggling in all sorts of different ways, because of other stresses that the pandemic was causing. That part was much more complex. 

Overall though, I have to say, it’s been a really wonderful 11 years. Some of our challenges have moved us forward to a better place. For example, looking back, I really believe that the transition to philanthropic funding made our research better. Many of our donors are leaders in the private sector. They ask us tough questions and challenge us in important and ultimately very positive ways. We were always impact-focused at MAP, but through our dialogue with donors we have had to get crystal clear on exactly how our work is helping people. 

Q: What’s next for you? 

My MAP research program has just launched a major partnership with United Way and the City of Toronto called the Slaight Family Housing Lab. Together, we were extremely fortunate to receive a $25 million gift from Gary Slaight and the Slaight Family Foundation to fund the development of a new, scalable, evidence-based system to move people from streets and encampments into supportive housing. I’m really excited about the potential impact. It’s going to be a huge focus for me in the coming years, and I believe it will lay the groundwork for similar work across the country. 

Leading MAP has been a tremendous honour. I’m so happy to continue to be a part of it.

St. Michael’s Hospital cares for more patients experiencing homelessness than any other hospital in Ontario, but this alone isn’t what defines us. It’s the way we approach homelessness and the undeniable connections between housing and health that set us apart.

Donor support has made this vision a reality by funding programs like Navigator, a hospital-based case management intervention for patients experiencing homelessness. Developed as a MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions research project led by Dr. Stephen Hwang, the first Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Homelessness, Housing, and Health, Navigator employs Homelessness Outreach Counsellors to improve health and housing outcomes for St. Mike’s patients. With support from Dr. Hwang’s team and the Staples Canada – Even the Odds Campaign, this model has now been implemented in hospitals in Vancouver and Montreal.

But what exactly is a Homelessness Outreach Counsellor? We spoke with St. Michael’s April Aleman about her remarkable and essential role, funded entirely by our donors.

How do you explain your position in the Navigator Program?

I’m a Homelessness Outreach Counsellor at St. Mike’s, so I work with patients admitted to the hospital who are experiencing homelessness. My role involves medical case management: supporting patients in their recovery by connecting them with primary care, accompanying them to specialist appointments, helping them access medication, and establishing long-term case management.

Do you work with patients in the hospital or in the community?

Both. I work intensively with patients when they’re in the hospital to understand their medical needs and goals. Maybe they need help obtaining ID, renewing their OHIP card and setting up income support, completing housing applications, and finding temporary shelter. Once they’re discharged, I continue working with them in the community for about three to six months.

How do you stay connected to people with no fixed addresses?

In our early conversations, I ask patients where they spend time, where they go for meals, and whether they attend any drop-ins. Most people have some community connection. They’ll say, “I go to Margaret’s for my meals” or “I go here to see the wound care nurse”. So, I’ll ask, “Is it OK if I’m looking for you? Can I call them? Can I go there?” Many patients visit the pharmacy for their daily medication, so I check there. The nearby pharmacies work well with our patients. They’ve always been helpful when I’m trying to find people.

We’re also lucky that we can give out cell phones. That makes a huge difference. And sometimes we lose people, and they end up back in the hospital, and we get reconnected that way.

You give out cell phones?

Yes, we have a flex fund built into the program budget, which is incredibly valuable. We give patients a phone so we can reach them, and doctors can follow up. We can give out Presto tickets and coordinate transportation to help patients attend medical appointments they wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend. Often, patients come to the hospital without having eaten, so I can use the flex fund to buy them a meal.

We also have access to the Odette Comfort Closet, which is for all St. Mike’s patients experiencing homelessness, so I can give someone clothes and shoes when they leave the hospital. If I know someone will be staying outside in the winter, I can give them a jacket and a sleeping bag.

Being able to support those individual needs on a case-by-case basis makes a really big difference.

Is this uncommon?

It is. Most community workers don’t have access to a flex fund, but it’s part of the program’s structure that makes it so special.

Are there other aspects of the Navigator program that are unique?

Lots. It’s unusual for patients to have someone in the hospital who can leave and meet them for an appointment. The physicians and social workers have huge caseloads that aren’t homeless-specific. Even if they wanted to, they can’t follow patients in the community.

I’ve also worked in the community where hospitals are seen as this fortress that no one can get through. As a community worker, trying to get hold of someone in a hospital is so challenging. In this role, I can be a liaison to keep patients connected to their community supports.

And then, because we’re in the hospital with our patients, we can often accomplish tasks quickly with them while they are recovering or receiving treatment in a stable environment. We can do their taxes and Ontario Works applications so they can access income supports. Or if a housing opportunity arises, we can quickly sort out their ID and handle all the necessary paperwork to secure housing.

Without us here in the hospital, I don’t know who would do that.

What drew you to this field?

I’ve thought about this a lot because patients often ask how I ended up here. I don’t have lived experience of being unhoused. My parents came to Canada as refugees with no other family or support, so the sense of taking care of each other and our community has always been important to me. I can’t really understand why we wouldn’t want to take care of people who aren’t doing well.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I usually start my days at the hospital and go through any new referrals. I’ll review new patient charts to see what’s going on: Do we know them from prior admissions? Have we followed them before? Are they going to be here for a day? For a few days?

I’ll meet the patient and see how they’re doing. I’ll check if there’s anything I can do to make them more comfortable—sometimes it’s just setting up the TV or getting them a doughnut from Tim Hortons.

I’ll explain my role and the kinds of support we provide, and see if it’s something they’re interested in. If so, we’ll work together to establish goals they want to work on.

I have hospital staff reaching out to me asking about a certain patient or how to navigate a particular scenario, so I’ll help with that.

I also accompany patients to medical appointments throughout the week. I recently went with a patient to the amputee clinic to get fitted for a prosthetic. We see a lot of patients who have had amputations because of frostbite, but getting a prosthetic is such a long process with so many appointments that it’s impossible for most of my patients. This is the first person I’ve worked with who made it to all the appointments, the amputee clinic, and will hopefully receive a prosthetic.

I often have past patients reach out when they need transportation to a distant appointment or are seeking a shelter bed. We do what we can.

What do you wish people knew about your role or the work you do?

The perception of people experiencing homelessness and people who use substances is so poor, and they really feel that judgment. We see patients who decline support or don’t want to engage with us because they’ve had so many bad experiences in the healthcare system.

I hear comments like “They can just go to rehab” or “This person doesn’t want to be housed,” and that isn’t my experience. They might need more support, but anyone and everyone would take housing. And I work with lots of people who would go into rehab tomorrow if it were readily available. But even if they do get in, what happens when they leave rehab? They’re back out on the street.

I feel like any one of us could have gone through similar traumatic experiences and ended up in this position. And still, these are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

I worked with a patient who had major surgery at St. Mike’s and then went to rehab at Providence. He had no income, so we helped him get an ID, applied for income support, filed his taxes, found him a family doctor, and arranged transportation. While attending a follow-up appointment at the hospital, he asked me to help him find the Foundation office. He had $100 in cash that he insisted on donating to St. Mike’s.

What keeps you going?

I work with so many people who genuinely care and want to make things better. It really feels like St. Mike’s is trying to provide better support and take better care of our patients who are experiencing homelessness. Everyone is working so hard.

And if we’re able to give someone a better experience than their last hospitalization, maybe they won’t wait until they’re as sick next time. Maybe they’ll come in earlier.

It feels like we’re making change.

The Navigator program is generously supported by Anonymous, Cadillac Fairview, Citi Foundation, Colin D. Irving, Family of Michael H. McCain, Meighen Family Foundation, Pass It Along Foundation, The P. & L. Odette Charitable Foundation, Primero-Patricio Family, The Schroeder Foundation, The Slaight Family Foundation, Staples Canada – Even the Odds Campaign, and TD Bank Group.

By Katie McMillan, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation

Dr. Andrew Pinto, who leads Upstream Lab at MAP, spoke with CBC News about the need for trauma prevention, adequate housing and income security in the conversation around government funded addiction rehabilitation.

“Recovery is crucial and it needs to be sustained over time, over many years, otherwise there’s a really significant risk that people relapse into substance use again,” said Dr. Pinto.

On May 21, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions announced the winners of the 2026 MAP Awards: Shajitha Rasiah, Nancy Tahmo and Monica Rudd. These annual awards recognize outstanding MAP staff, students or volunteers who have excelled in their roles and demonstrate a passion and commitment to applying MAP’s values in their work.

Shajitha Rasiah (she/her), Research Coordinator on Dr. Pat O’Campo’s team, is the winner of the MAP Values in Practice Award, an award to recognize an individual who exemplifies and advocates for MAP values in their work and interactions. From Shajitha’s nomination: “Her approach to interactions is grounded in equity and inclusion — it has never been an after-thought to her, which is highly evident when working with her. Shajitha truly believes in the importance of making research spaces safe and accessible.”

Nancy Tahmo (she/her), PhD Candidate on Dr. Sharmistha Mishra’s team, is the winner of the MAP Community Partnerships Award, an award to recognize an individual who consistently models exemplary community partnership practices and integration of the perspectives of community and people with lived expertise into their research. From Nancy’s nomination: “Nancy creates space for community voices to be heard, valued, and meaningfully included in the research process. As someone working closely with communities, I have deeply appreciated Nancy’s mentorship, humility, and commitment to participatory research.”

Monica Rudd (she/her), Data Analyst on Dr. Darrell Tan’s team, is the winner of the MAP Peer Mentor Award, an award to recognize an individual who works hard to help colleagues learn, feel valued and do well at work. From Monica’s nomination: “Monica is a compassionate mentor who takes great care to ensuring every trainee feels respected as an equal. She takes the time to check in frequently, empowering students to explore without fear of failure and pushing them to be critical thinkers.”

Congratulations to all of our 2026 MAP Awards winners and nominees!

New limited-edition, made-in-Canada treat available at Staples Canada raises funds for MAP, Canada’s largest health equity research centre.

RICHMOND HILL, ON – Staples Canada today launched the “Even the Odds Care Cookie,” a limited-edition treat available in stores across Canada, with proceeds supporting health equity programs in local communities. The Care Cookie is the latest expression of Staples Canada’s multi-year Even the Odds partnership with MAP (St. Michael’s Hospital), Canada’s largest health equity research centre, offering Canadians a simple and meaningful way to make a difference.

Since launching Even the Odds in 2021, Staples Canada has raised more than $9 million for MAP’s evidence-based health programs, helping to fund research and community initiatives that address the root causes of health inequity. The “Care Cookie” builds on that momentum, creating a new, tangible way for Canadians to give back every time they visit a Staples store.

“Health inequity touches far too many people across Canada, and through Even the Odds, Staples and our customers are helping to change that,” said Adrian Lang, Chief People and Legal Officer, Staples Canada. “The Care Cookie turns a simple, everyday purchase into real impact–because when our customers choose to support this initiative, they’re directly funding programs that improve lives and are making a meaningful difference in their communities.”

A Cookie with a Cause
Baked in partnership with Cookie It Up, a Canadian bakery based in Aurora, Ontario, the Care Cookie was developed specifically to serve as a national fundraising vehicle for Even the Odds. Proceeds from every cookie sold support MAP’s full suite of health equity programs — including APPLE Schools, Navigator, Our Healthbox, and the Food Prescription Program — which together serve tens of thousands of Canadians facing barriers to good health.

“We are so proud and grateful to partner with Staples Canada on this national program,” said Dr. Stephen Hwang, MAP’s director and the Canada Research Chair in Homelessness, Housing and Health. “Thanks to Even the Odds, MAP has been able to scale our evidence-backed programs to reach communities from coast to coast. This kind of impact never would have been possible without the incredible support of Staples associates, vendors and customers across the country.”

MAP’s programs are designed to address the conditions that make health inequity possible in the first place: food insecurity, lack of access to care, and under-resourced communities. Staples Canada’s sustained investment in MAP through Even the Odds has helped fund the expansion of these programs to new provinces and communities. These equity-building initiatives include:

• Navigator, an innovative solution to help people who are unhoused have a better recovery after hospitalization.
• Healthy Food Prescription, a landmark research trial to test a promising approach to food insecurity and chronic disease inequities: grocery store vouchers prescribed by physicians to low-income patients with diabetes.
• Our Healthbox, ‘smart’ vending machines that dispense free health supplies, HIV self-tests and essentials, such as warm socks and hygiene products, to people experiencing major barriers to healthcare.

How to Participate
Staples customers across Canada can support Even the Odds in three ways:

• Buy a Care Cookie in-store at any Staples Canada location for $4.99, or online at staples.ca
• Make a donation at checkout at your local Staples store or online at staples.ca.
• Become an ongoing supporter by donating directly online at staples.ca/eventheodds

The “Care Cookie” is available in stores while supplies last. Customers can make a direct donation in-store from May 3 through June 14.  Staples Canada encourages customers to visit their local store to learn more about the Even the Odds campaign and MAP’s impact across Canada, and/or through visiting staples.ca/eventheodds.

About MAP
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions is Canada’s largest research centre focused on health equity and the social determinants of health. Internationally recognized for groundbreaking science and innovation, MAP develops and implements real-world, evidence-driven program and policy solutions that disrupt cycles of socioeconomic exclusion and poor health. For more than 25 years, MAP has partnered with communities and policy makers across the country to take on complex issues such as homelessness, unequal access to health care and medicine, and the lifelong effects of childhood poverty. MAP is based at St. Michael’s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto. For more information, visit maphealth.ca.

About Staples Canada
Staples Canada is a Canadian company headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario, committed to helping parents, teachers, businesses, and entrepreneurs work smarter, learn more and grow every day. We deliver EASY, solution-focused experiences through a curated product offering, knowledgeable in-store associates, and seamless services. Our network includes close to 300 stores across Canada and staples.ca, printing and shipping services at Staples Print, and Staples Studio co-working spaces. We also have a group of dedicated B2B brands that support businesses of all sizes, including Staples Preferred, Staples Professional, Supreme Office Supplies and Furniture, Denis Office Supplies, and Monarch Office Supply Inc. We are committed to the communities we serve and are a proud partner of MAP through Even the Odds, a fundraising initiative that aims to eliminate critical gaps in health equity. For more information, visit staples.ca or engage with @StaplesCanada on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

The results of two clinical trials – led by the Upstream Lab at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and Oxford University, published in the New England Journal of Medicine – provide new evidence to consider when funding, prescribing, or taking Paxlovid to treat COVID-19.

The CanTreatCOVID study in Canada and the PANORAMIC study in the UK involved a total of over 4,200 people and found that Paxlovid does not reduce hospital admissions or deaths in vaccinated adults at higher risk of severe COVID-19, but it does help people recover a few days faster.

“In terms of the use of Paxlovid, guidelines across Canada have evolved from its initial approval through the CanTreatCOVID study to today. They have progressively narrowed and I think that this evidence will further refine them,” said Dr. Andrew Pinto, who led the Canadian trial. He is the Director of the Upstream Lab, based at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, part of St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto). Upstream Lab Scientist Dr. Benita Hosseini was a Co-Principal Investigator of the CanTreatCOVID study.

In Ontario, the guidelines suggest that Paxlovid can be prescribed to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients who are: 65 years of age and older, 18 years of age or older who are immunocompromised, or 18 to 64 years of age with at least one risk factor associated with more severe COVID-19 outcomes. For those not covered under the Ontario Public Drug Programs or private insurance, the cost could be about $1,400 out of pocket.

In January 2022, Health Canada authorized Paxlovid after initial study results revealed a reduced risk of hospitalization and death by nearly 90 per cent in unvaccinated high-risk patients. In contrast, the PANORAMIC trial and the CanTreatCOVID trial studied vaccinated patients.

“In today’s highly vaccinated populations, the benefits of Paxlovid have fundamentally changed,” said Oxford University’s Dr. Christopher Butler, who led the UK trial. “While people feel better sooner, we found no reduction in the already low rate of hospitalizations or deaths. This provides essential high-quality evidence for optimal, cost-effective targeting of this treatment.”

Paxlovid speeds recovery time in vaccinated patients

Both trials recruited vaccinated adults aged 50 and over, or younger adults with certain health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or a weakened immune system. All participants tested positive for COVID and had symptoms for five days or less. Almost everyone (about 98 per cent) had already received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

Interestingly, the studies revealed  that Paxlovid did not reduce the chance of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 in those who were already vaccinated, but patients reported feeling better sooner and were more likely to stay recovered. In PANORAMIC, median recovery time was 14 days with Paxlovid compared to 21 days with usual care. CanTreatCOVID found recovery at 6 days versus 9 days.

TreatResp and PREPARED continue research to prepare for a future pandemic

CanTreatCOVID was one of the largest outpatient trials in Canada and has laid the groundwork for future research studies to be conducted in the community. It has been adapted into Upstream Lab’s new clinical trial called TreatResp, which launched in April 2026. TreatResp is designed to study treatments for respiratory infections, such as seasonal flu, and rapidly respond in the event of a future pandemic.

“For policymakers and funders, CanTreatCOVID demonstrates the value of having this type of research infrastructure ready to go so that we can study treatments for infections as they’re happening. In a new pandemic caused by a novel respiratory infection, our hope is TreatResp is fully up and running, and that it can be used to study treatments very quickly, both in terms of their efficacy and their cost-effectiveness,” said Dr. Pinto.

CanTreatCOVID was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Health Canada, and supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada. CanTreatCOVID involved researchers from across Canada, including University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Calgary, University of Manitoba, and Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Patients will be referred to TreatResp from another Upstream Lab research project called PREPARED, which is aimed at helping Canada prepare for future pandemics. Researchers are monitoring which viruses are circulating in our communities, by distributing free at-home test kits for COVID-19 and influenza to eligible patients in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Newfoundland.

PREPARED is funded by the Canada Biomedical Research Fund. To learn more or to see if you’re eligible for a free at-home test kit, visit preparedcanada.org.

To read the full article:

Butler, C.C., Pinto A.D., et al. Oral nirmatrelvir-ritonavir for COVID-19 in higher risk outpatients. N Engl J Med 2026;394:1583-94. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2502457

People in Canada have a new, less invasive way to test for HIV at home, following Health Canada’s approval of an oral self-test. Dr. Sean Rourke, whose research helped obtain the approval, spoke with the CBC about how these tests have the potential to reach thousands who experience barriers to traditional testing.

Research by Dr. Tara Gomes is cited in a letter to the provincial government from former Toronto mayors to the provincial government asking for the reconsideration of the closures of safe consumption sites. The research points to a rise in opioid-related overdoses following the April 2025 closures of some sites.

The U of T President’s Impact Awards recognize research that has led to a significant impact beyond academia. This year, two MAP scientists, Dr. Sean B. Rourke and Dr. Tara Gomes are among the recipients. Laureates are designated as members of the President’s Impact Academy, and receive a monetary award of $10,000 per year for five years to be used toward their research.

Dr. Sean Rourke, MAP scientist and professor of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, is being recognized for outstanding leadership in advancing HIV/STI testing accessibility and care for underserved populations, including influential work reshaping Canada’s approach to prevention, diagnosis and equitable healthcare.

The Ontario Drug Policy Research Network at Unity Health Toronto and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy – led by MAP scientist Dr. Tara Gomes and U of T Associate Professor Dr. Mina Tadrous – are being recognized for transforming real-world evidence into drug policy that improves medication access, safety, and system sustainability, shaping public decisions and health outcomes across Canada and internationally.

“The University of Toronto is immensely proud of these researchers, who are advancing knowledge in critical areas,” said Barbara Fallon, U of T’s associate vice-president, research. “From accessible HIV testing and equitable drug policy to sustainable manufacturing technologies and improved care for patients with autoimmune disease, these scholars are making contributions that transcend academia and are having an impact on lives and societies.”

The Slaight Family Foundation’s recent gift will fund a partnership between MAP and the United Way Greater Toronto to launch the Slaight Family Housing Lab. The lab will use an evidence-based approach to move people off the streets and into supportive housing. Dr. Stephen Hwang, MAP director and scientist, spoke with The Canadian Press about the launch.

This article was also published in The Globe and Mail, CBC, CTV Toronto and CityNews Toronto.