Mackie Family Story

A Moving History of Charity from Local Family

“We built our businesses and grew our family here in Oshawa. To us, that means an opportunity to build our community too. We truly feel the best way we can give back is through our Hospital.” 

Since 1928, the Mackie family has been an integral part of the Durham Region. The entrepreneurial Merle Mackie, with the support of his wife Amanda, began driving his family towards success as he began their transportation company. By the mid-1950s, both of his children, Ross and Marilyn, were helping him to expand the business that would grow with their family for generations.

Today, Ross Mackie (his late wife Diana), along with his sons, Paul Mackie Sr., Norm, Dean and Scott, continue to lead the Mackie family as they build a legacy of achievement, and giving back, in the Durham Region.

With success motoring through their multiple businesses including Mackie Moving, Mackie Transport and Mackie Harley-Davidson, the family and their businesses have grown from the ground up right here in Oshawa.

Paul Senior’s connection with our Hospital started at a young age when a tragic accident caused him to lose the lower part of his leg. He remembers the incredible care he received on the paediatric ward and fondly credits Lakeridge Health for saving his life. “The Hospital has been there for our family, every step of the way. For me, after my accident and in recent years, for my dad, my brothers and just last year for my children when they welcomed children of their own.”  

All the more reason, shares the Mackie family, to give back to their community.

When the Durham Region community rallied to raise important funds to build a new cancer centre in Oshawa, Paul Sr. stepped up as Co-Chair for the Heroes of Hope Campaign. Today, we can thank Paul Sr., his fellow Campaign Cabinet members and community members like you for raising an outstanding $42.5 million to build the R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre - now one of the top Cancer Centre’s in all of Ontario.   

“The Heroes of Hope campaign is what got us started with giving back to Lakeridge Health,” shares Paul Mackie Sr. “It was knowing how lucky we are to have cancer services right here in our Durham Region. All of us were born at the Oshawa Hospital, and we were raised here. Our employees live here too, their families are here and this is just one way we can give back and help to support them. That’s what inspired us.”

Paul Sr.’s brothers have also played important roles with the Foundation, Norm has been an integral part of our Golf Tournament Committee for some time, and now his son, Jeff, is carrying the torch. Dean and Scott Mackie are also involved as they support the Lakeridge Health Foundation’s signature events, year after year. The support doesn’t stop there, Paul Sr.’s daughter, Brooke, is an Executive Committee member of Launchpad, the Foundation’s young leaders group, supporting Launchpad since 2016 and her brother, Paul Jr., is working with the Foundation on a new fundraising initiative.   

Ross Mackie, decorated business leader and proud dad, grandfather and great-grandfather, beams with pride when he speaks of his family’s enormous success through many decades. Over the years he has collected countless pieces of heart-warming memorabilia that celebrate what his family has built. To him, the important piece to take from these nostalgic treasures is that it all began in the Durham Region and that family is at the heart of everything.

“When we were young, three generations of us, we lived in this clapboard house on King Street. We didn’t have a lot. Our house was where the highway is now. When we moved, it was because we had to. My dad, Merle, had to sell the house for a single dollar. We’re so fortune today to still be here in Oshawa and now, each of us, from multiple generations, are involved in giving back whenever we can.”

As a family and through the Mackie Group, the Mackie’s have supported Lakeridge Health Foundation with generous financial donations over the years. The entire family continues to champion cancer services and health care for our community, year after year, generation after generation.