St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre (SJCCC) was founded by the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph (RHSJ) and is sponsored by Catholic Health International*. SJCCC is also proud to be accredited by CARF International. Our Centre offers Long-Term Care in St. Joseph’s Villa and Complex Continuing Care & Adult Rehabilitation in Hotel Dieu Hospital. 

A little bit of history…

The first Sisters of the RHSJ arrived in our community in 1897 and faithfully responded to the various community needs until 2003. During that time, 147 Sisters served the sick, youth, aged and marginalized and also provided education to nurses. The facilities and organizations that were founded and operated by the Sisters of the RHSJ include Hotel Dieu Hospital (1897), St. Paul’s Home for the Aged (1898), Nazareth Orphanage (1909), St. Joseph’s School of Nursing (1929), Macdonell Memorial Hospital (1959), St. Joseph’s Villa (1969), Janet Macdonell Pavilion (1989), Marie de la Ferre Apartments (1992), and St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre (2004).

The generosity of the Sisters was demonstrated by their decision to transfer the Hotel Dieu Hospital site to the Cornwall community. In July 2003, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care officially accepted the proposal of the RHSJ resulting in a new community hospital on the McConnell Avenue site.  

The spirit of the RHSJ has continued to serve the Cornwall community by caring for the elderly and special needs residents and patients at SJCCC at the very location where the first RHSJ Sisters started their ministry in healthcare in 1897. 

St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre (SJCCC) became our operating name in 2004 after the implementation of new directions for healthcare restructuring for our community from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Centre’s infrastructure and programming replaced what was formerly St. Joseph’s Villa (Long-Term Care) and Hotel Dieu Hospital (Complex Continuing Care). The grand opening of SJCCC was celebrated on 16 September 2009.

The RHSJ left a legacy of holistic and compassionate care committed to improving the quality of life of seniors and adults affected by the loss of autonomy through injury or illness. As an organization, we continue this mission each and every day. May the same spirit of love, concern and dedication that motivated the first Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph to animate each member of our Centre as we meet the diverse needs of our residents, patients and families.

*Catholic Health International sponsors hospitals and long-term care facilities in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Canada; Illinois and Wisconsin, U.S.A.; and the Dominican Republic.