** Mission **
Providence Healthcare, a Catholic-sponsored facility, provides rehabilitation, complex continuing care, long-term care and outreach programs within a welcoming community of compassion, hope and healing.
** Values **
* Sanctity of Life
Every life is a sacred gift that has meaning and value.
* Human Dignity
Everyone has intrinsic value and is worthy of respect.
* Compassionate Service
The needs of every person are attended to with thoughtfulness, understanding and sensitivity.
* Community
People of diverse backgrounds gather together with a shared purpose and support each other in hope and celebration.
* Social Justice
Each person is treated in a fair and equitable manner, according to one’s needs.
* Social Responsibility
Accountability is demonstrated by the prudent use of the resources given to us in trust
** Vision **
Providence Healthcare will use best practices, innovative solutions and leading-edge technology to help patients, residents and clients achieve their highest possible level of independence and dignity.
History Of Providence Healthcare
** History **
The first ‘House of Providence’ was founded through the sponsorship of Toronto Bishop de Charbonnel, who sought permission from Pope Pius IX to build a house of charity to alleviate the poverty throughout the diocese.
Bishop de Charbonnel invited the U.S.-based Sisters of St. Joseph to come to the city. In 1851, four sisters arrived to run an orphanage, and quickly found other urgent needs. Most relief needed at the time came from the churches and private charities.
In 1857, the Sisters of St. Joseph opened the doors to the House of Providence on Power Street in downtown Toronto at what is now the Don Valley Parkway exit to Adelaide and Richmond Streets. At its peak, it provided accommodation for 700 elderly residents and orphans, people who were among the most vulnerable in society.
The House of Providence continued to care for orphans, widows, immigrants and the homeless until it moved to its present site in 1962 – a former farm owned by the Sisters of St. Joseph at the corner of Warden Avenue and St. Clair Avenue East. At this time, the focus of care changed to residential care for the elderly and sick and the name was changed to Providence Villa and Hospital.
As the needs of the community continued to change and evolve so too did we, and in 1990 the name was changed again to Providence Centre, to better reflect the diversity of services that were being offered to not only residents and patients, but also to people in the community.
The Sisters of St. Joseph sponsored Providence Centre until 1998. At that time, the Catholic Health Corporation of Ontario was entrusted with continuing their legacy of caring by assuming the sponsorship of Providence.
Another chapter in the facility’s history began in 2004, when the name was changed to Providence Healthcare.
Providence celebrated 150 years of providing a culture of community, compassion and innovation in care in 2007. From the original House of Providence in downtown Toronto to the sprawling site it is today, our organization has both endured and thrived as a result of our ability to adapt to the changing needs of society.
