February 7, 2026

PREMIER FORD SLEDS INTO PORT SYDNEY — ‘MY SECOND HOME’ — TO HELP PETER GILGAN DONATE $100,000 TO HOSPITALS’ ‘RAISE MUSKOKA’ FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

PORT SYDNEY — Sporting an orange helmet Premier Doug Ford rode his sled from “my second home” to the Community Centre today raising more than $100,000 for Muskoka hospitals he hopes will be built “ASAP.”

It was part of a sunny joint SMMH and HDMH hospital foundations ‘Raise Muskoka’ snowmobile run dubbed Trails for Life, which they hope will be an annual Muskoka winter weekend event.

He was joined on stage by Lake of Bays neighbour, Muskoka billionaire and Matamy Homes founder Peter Gilgan, who kicked in the first hundred grand after a large fundraising dinner last night at his nearby cottage. Gilgan’s name is also on the ER wing at MAHC’s Bracebridge site.

The two hospital foundations split the proceeds. A final total wasn’t yet available.

Premier Doug Ford beamed for cameras as he drove his sleek, black Ski-Doo into the Port Sydney Community Centre parking lot where he was greeted by more than 100 well-wishers and supporters just before 1 p.m. this afternoon. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont MuskokaTODAY.com

Ford was mobbed as he got off his sleek black Ski-Doo after leading a couple dozen riders across Mary Lake, including fellow sledders MPPs Graydon Smith and Simcoe North’s Jill Dunlop. Along with 10 Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Club district presidents on the cold, slow, smooth half hour trip ridden on twice freshly groomed trails Thursday and Friday.

“This is amazing. I love it (a frigid, -21 temperature and colder wind-chill at noon). It’s beautiful.”

But no problem: “I’ve got lots of insulation — I’m like a polar bear.”

He even got a hug from little William Selkirk, who told the premier: “I don’t want his job. I want to own the country.”

The premier was in a typically good mood as he greeted well over a hundred well-wishers and reminding everyone face to face to “call me anytime.”

“I remember a few years back they gave me a list and said everyone needs a hospital, but I said the people in Huntsville and Bracebridge need it the most.”

Peter Gilgan, third left, “surprised” everyone with a $100,000 donation as MAHC CEO Cheryl Harrison, SMMHF executive director Leah Walker, HDMH foundation executive director Katherine Crane, Graydon Smith, Doug Ford and Jill Dunlop happily look on.

Ford — who said he’s had a cottage in Port Sydney for 40 years (“I don’t get here enough”) — called Smith a “hometown boy. You know Smith’s store” on the highway where the MPP’s father ran the gas bar.

Smith called returned the compliment calling Ford “the biggest support of hospitals in Muskoka, the biggest supporter of hospitals in Ontario and the biggest supporter of Canada now.”

Asked by reporters how close Ford is to making the new hospitals a reality, he said: “Very close. I think Huntsville they’re about the $40 million point or close to it and Bracebridge is on its way up, too.”

And what’s stopping it?

He explained there are many Ministry of Health review processes to go through — including MAHC’s application already with them.

**Ford and Smith led a group of two dozen sledders on a 30-minute ride from his nearby cottage, crossing Mary Lake on a bitterly cold noon hour ride.**

‘$600 million each hospital’

“But once they get that going … but it will probably cost $600 million each hospital. Well worth it. Especially in the summers. As everyone knows who lives here. The population quadruples, probably ten times what it is. A lot of people use the hospitals.

“So I encourage everyone to give — even a $5 donation or $10.

“So please try, try to donate to the hospitals.”

He said the fundraiser being run by Smith with help from Gilgan and his family “is great. “Peter is probably one of largest donors in the country with all hospitals.

“We’re just so grateful for the turnout for the community. I love communities like this who get behind the hospitals and get it done.

“And we’ll get it done ASAP.”

**A photo-op after the cheque presentation was full of dozens of smiling and frigid faces.**

Northlander ‘August or July’

I asked Ford when he was coming back on the Northlander.

“I think August, July, somewhere around there. It’s going to change people’s lives.

I got on the train — it’s unbelievable.”

And asked when a second set trains will arrive, he added “we’ll see how the volume is.”

He also said as an aside while passing through the crowd that he “hasn’t thought much” about this week’s defection of provincial deputy NDP leader Doly Begum who jumping her party ship to run for the federal Liberals. The Tories held the seat before she easily won three terms.