What Happened to Peter Gilgan?

Peter Gilgan's journey began in 1978 when he founded Mattamy Homes in Toronto, naming the company after his two oldest children, Matt and Amy. Starting with a single home in Burlington, Ontario, he grew the company into Canada's largest residential homebuilder and a top-25 builder in the United States, constructing over 135,000 houses. His vision was to create thoughtfully designed communities, moving away from bland suburban developments, inspired by the New Urbanism movement.

In 2018, Gilgan established Mattamy Asset Management Inc., a firm designed to build and hold a diversified portfolio of investments and businesses, with Mattamy Homes becoming its parent company. He continues to serve as the Founder & CEO of Mattamy Asset Management, overseeing its strategic direction and expansion. The company maintains a strong presence in both Canadian and U.S. markets, with recent developments in 2026 including new communities in Dallas, Texas, and Zephyrhills, Florida.

Beyond his business acumen, Gilgan is renowned for his extensive philanthropy. His lifetime charitable donations exceed $500 million, making him the largest benefactor to hospitals in Canada. His giving spans healthcare, education, physical activity, and community building, driven by a deep sense of gratitude and a desire to create a healthier, more prosperous, and sustainable future.

Key turning points in his philanthropic efforts include a $40 million donation to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children in 2012, followed by an historic $105 million gift to Trillium Health Partners in February 2022, which was the largest donation to a Canadian hospital at the time. This gift is supporting the construction of The Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital and the expansion of Queensway Health Centre. In September 2025, he made a $60 million donation to St. Joseph's Health Centre in Toronto, a deeply personal gift as he and his siblings were born there. This was followed by a $50 million donation in November 2025 to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation to establish the Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research, poised to be the world's largest program of its kind.

As of August 29, 2026, Peter Gilgan remains actively involved in his business and philanthropic endeavors. Mattamy Homes continues to launch new communities, and significant progress is being made on the hospital projects he has funded. For instance, in June 2026, concrete pouring officially began for the foundation of The Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital, marking a major construction milestone. His net worth was most recently reported at $6.9 billion as of August 18, 2026. He was also recognized with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025 for his significant contributions to Canada.