For the first time in three decades, the Dream Lottery is not offering a new house as a grand prize option.
The semi-annual fundraiser for hospitals in London kicked off its fall edition on Thursday with an unexpected twist.
In the past, winners could choose between a new home or $1 million cash as their grand prize.
Now, winners will automatically receive the cash prize instead.
“We continue to survey our ticket buyers and increasingly everybody says… ‘We want the cash,’” said Michelle Campbell, president and chief executive of St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation. “So a house doesn’t actually appeal to everybody.
“Everybody speculates what their dream is going to be and it’s different for everybody.”
This lottery is a collaboration between Children’s Health Foundation, St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, and London Health Sciences Foundation, raising over $68 million since its start in 1996 to support patient care and research.
Campbell mentioned that she has witnessed firsthand how the funds from the lottery have enhanced local health care services.
For instance, proceeds have backed the surgical robotics program at St. Joseph’s, positioning it as a leader in this area, Campbell noted.
“That meant we were able to get surgical robotic technology. We were early adopters to that in Canada for us… mostly for prostate cancer,” she said. “And that means we now have a critical mass of talent and expertise in surgical robotics that you won’t find anywhere else.”
The fall lottery also provides subscribers – ticket buyers who register for automatic entries – an opportunity to win one of three additional prizes: $100,000 cash, a $25,000 travel voucher or a $15,000 grocery voucher.
There’s also a 50-50 draw where the winner from spring took home $556,400.
Tickets must be purchased by December 3rd and winners will be announced on December 17th.
Tickets can be found at dreamitwinit. ca or by calling 519-488-7100.
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