Okay but like… this is kind of iconic.
Toronto General Hospital just casually snagged the title of second-best hospital in the entire world, which—hello??—is a pretty big deal. According to Newsweek’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals list, Toronto General slid up a spot from last year and is now right behind the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Yes, that Mayo Clinic. Meanwhile, Cleveland Clinic, which had been living its comfy second-place life for seven straight years, got nudged down to third. Awkward.
The ranking, done by Newsweek with data pros at Statista, looked at over 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries, surveying medical experts, patient experiences, and quality metrics. So this isn’t just vibes—it’s legit.
Toronto General is part of University Health Network (UHN), and its CEO Kevin Smith is understandably feeling the moment. He points out that climbing the rankings as a universally accessible, publicly funded hospital is something to seriously celebrate. Like, imagine walking into one of the best hospitals on Earth and getting world-class care whether you’re wildly rich or barely scraping by. Very main-character energy for public health care.
And let’s be real—this achievement hits extra hard when you remember Canada is dealing with a major doctor shortage. Long wait times, overwhelmed ERs, and entire communities without enough physicians? Very not cute. Which makes Toronto General’s global success even more impressive. Pulling this off while the system is stretched thin is basically doing elite-level medicine on hard mode.
Part of the glow-up comes from UHN actively recruiting top-tier medical talent from abroad, especially as health research funding in the U.S. has cooled. So far, 43 world-leading scientists have been hired—many working on viruses, vaccines, cancer, heart disease, and health equity. About a quarter are Canadians coming home from the U.S., with others arriving from places like Japan, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Over 700 people applied. Casual flex.
Toronto General has been living in the Top 10 since the rankings started in 2019 and is especially famous for cardiac care, organ transplants, and handling the most complex cases. And while public funding does mean slower approvals and more red tape compared to private U.S. hospitals, Smith says research is where Canada really pulls ahead. Clinical trials and cutting-edge therapies mean Canadians often get access first—very “first payer” energy.
UHN runs 10 sites total, including Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Elsewhere in Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital climbed to 27th place, while Sunnybrook slipped a bit to 30.
So yeah—second best in the world, public, accessible, understaffed, and still thriving? Honestly? Canada ate this one.
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
Where Canadian Excellence Lives Rent-Free
