100 Years of Care

100 years of care wordmark

100 Years of Care

For a century, Mount Carmel Clinic has worked alongside community to reduce barriers to care and address all aspects of wellbeing. Grounded in respect, equity, and innovation, our work continues to respond to community needs – meeting people where they are, on their own terms.

100 Years in Community

As Canada’s first and longest-running community health centre, Mount Carmel Clinic has a long history of providing accessible, community-centred care in Winnipeg’s North End.

Founded in 1926, the clinic was established to respond to the health needs of Jewish Newcomers arriving in Canada after fleeing political unrest and oppression in Eastern Europe. Many families arrived in poor health and with limited resources. From its earliest days, Mount Carmel Clinic focused on providing culturally safe, affordable, and compassionate care to those facing the greatest barriers.

Over the past 100 years, the clinic has evolved alongside the community it serves. From its beginnings in a small, converted house to its current home on Main Street, Mount Carmel Clinic has continued to adapt—expanding services, deepening partnerships, and responding to social, economic, and health-system change. Throughout this growth, one commitment has remained constant: providing non-judgemental, community-based care to those who need it most.

Mount Carmel Clinic Throughout the Years

1926

Mount Carmel Clinic Opens its Doors at 263 Pritchard Avenue

The clinic was originally located in an old house that was redecorated for the clinic’s purposes. The kitchen was renovated into a pharmacy, which operated initially through donations.

Establishment of Mount Carmel Clinic

Mount Carmel Clinic was created by the Jewish community to provide medical care to the growing number of Jewish Newcomers arriving in Canada from situations of political unrest and oppression in Eastern Europe. Many of these families were in poor health due to the conditions from which they fled, but had very little money to afford medical services. Mount Carmel Clinic was able to provide culturally safe and affordable medical care to these families.

1929

A New Building is Constructed

The clinic very quickly outgrew its first location, and shortly thereafter planning began to fundraise for the construction of a new building. On June 16, 1929, construction began on the new clinic located at 120 Selkirk Avenue.

1930

Use of the Clinic Grows

Due in part to the depression and war times, the clinic began to experience a rise in non-Jewish community members utilizing the clinic in the 1930s. By 1936, non-Jewish peoples made up one-third of the patients at the clinic.

1940

The Clinic Evolves

As needs changed, the clinic shifted focus to broaden its scope. With the hiring of nurse Anne Ross, the clinic began to provide community-centred health services to those in the neighbourhood that needed it most. This included Newcomers and refugees from different parts of the world, as well as First Nations and Métis peoples moving to the city from reserves.

1950

Patient Numbers Increase

Over the course of two decades, the clinic went from seeing 3 to 4 patients per day, to seeing upwards of 120 patients each day. Mount Carmel Clinic’s services grew to include dental care, family planning resources, mental health supports, and a day nursery.

1964

Anne Ross is Appointed Executive Director

Anne Ross was hired in the early 1940s as one of the clinic’s first paid staff members, and quickly became a figurehead for the clinic. In 1964 she was formally appointed as executive director which allowed her the ability to speak on behalf of the clinic and implement new ideas. She was integral to the shaping of the clinic’s model of service and the development of many of the programs that still exist at the clinic today.

1970

MCC Pushes for Increased Housing Resources

The clinic advocated for those living in low-income situations, and pushed the government to provide better housing options and more public housing. This contributed to the eventual establishment of the Neighbourhood Improvement Program in 1974, a tri-governmental housing program with the goal of improving housing across Canada.

1982

A New Home for the Clinic is Constructed

As the clinic continued to grow, it became clear that finding a much larger and permanent location for the clinic was necessary. After a decade of fundraising and a significant capital contribution from the government, a new building for Mount Carmel Clinic was constructed at 886 Main Street.

1985

Anne Ross Day Nursery Building Construction Complete

Upon the completion of the new clinic, focus quickly moved to the goal of raising funds for a building to house the clinic’s day nursery program, which provided supports for children ages 2 – 5 years. The MCC board of directors approved plans for the new building in 1983, and by 1985 the newly named Anne Ross Day Nursery was complete. 

1992

Opening of Sage House

Originally called Prostitutes and Other Women for Equal Rights (POWER), the house originally opened at 50 Argyle Street in February 1992. The program provided a safe space for women-identifying persons involved in survival sex work to access resources. The program was later renamed Sage House and moved to its current location in a house on Dufferin Street.

1998

Mount Carmel Clinic Foundation is Established

The establishment of an official foundation improved the clinic’s capacity to be able to fundraise for large capital projects in a more effective way. The foundation went on to lead several successful fundraising campaigns over the next 20+ years, including the multiple clinic expansions and upgrades.

2008

Expansion into 888 Main Street

The Mount Carmel Clinic Foundation began a capital campaign in 2005 to fund substantial renovations to the clinic. By 2008, the clinic was able to execute phase one of the renovations: the retrofitting of 888 Main Street—the old bank building donated by CIBC--to house its administrative offices and outreach services.

2009

Establishment of Wiisocotatiwin Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program

Created through the At Home/Chez Soi research project of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, ACT provides housing support to some of Winnipeg’s most vulnerable and at-risk community members by employing a housing first model.

Chiropractic Services & Wish Clinic

Several new services were made available at the clinic, including chiropractic services, and the student-run WISH clinic, a partnership with the University of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

2012

Modernization of Anne Ross Day Nursery

It took another four years of fundraising to reach the goal of renovating the Anne Ross Day Nursery, located adjacent to the main clinic building. These renovations made the building fully accessible and allowed for an additional eight daycare spaces to be made available to the community.

2013

Establishment of Manito Ikwe Kagiikwe Mothering Project

The Mothering Project was developed to provide enhanced supports for mothers who are pregnant or have young children, and who struggle with substance use. With help from the Mount Carmel Clinic Foundation, a new space dedicated to the program was renovated in 2016.

2018

Waiting Room Renovation

Further renovations were undertaken at 886 Main Street. The clinic was able to address some necessary structural changes to the waiting room skylight as well as modernize the waiting room area and purchase new furniture to create a more comfortable space for the community.

2018

Landscaping Project - Ongoing

With help from the Mount Carmel Clinic Foundation, the clinic was able to focus on improving the exterior of its 886 Main Street location, beginning in 2018. This included significant landscaping along the east and south sides of the building, enhanced accessibility measures at the front entrance, and a large outdoor play area for the daycare.

2019

Purchase of 896 Main Stret

Mount Carmel Clinic raised funds for the purchase of a new building directly adjacent to 888 Main St, with a significant contribution from the Mount Carmel Clinic Foundation. This building provides office and programming space for Wiisocotatiwin Assertive Community Treatment, and will be renovated in the future to suit the needs of the organization and the community.

Addition of Elder Services & Land-Based Teachings

Identifying a need for more Indigenous programming, Mount Carmel Clinic invited highly respected cultural leaders Elder Mae Louise Campbell and Mitch Bourbonniere to join its staff team. Their expertise has allowed the clinic to expand its offering of drop-in and program-based Indigenous cultural activities.

2023

Design Phase Launched for 896 Main Street

Mount Carmel Clinic announced federal funding to support the redevelopment of 896 Main Street, enabling the launch of the design phase for a new community-based space.

2024

LAUNCH OF THE STRONGER TOGETHER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Mount Carmel Clinic launched the Stronger Together: Fulfilling Potential capital campaign to support the revitalization of 896 Main Street. The campaign focused on transforming underutilized office space into a vibrant community hub that would allow Sage House and Wiisocotatiwin to expand evening hours, increase cultural and program space, strengthen integrated care, and better meet community needs.

2025 / 2026

OPENING OF 896 MAIN STREET

Mount Carmel Clinic moved Sage House and Wiisocotatiwin into the newly renovated space at 896 Main Street. The opening marked a significant milestone in MCC’s continued evolution, strengthening access to culturally grounded, community-based care and positioning both programs to grow in response to increasing need.

A Century of Impact – Measured in Lives: 

Today, Mount Carmel Clinic’s impact is reflected in the thousands of individuals and families who access care and support each year:

14,124

Clients served by MCC Pharmacy in the past year 

39,613

Prescriptions filled 

2,623

Dental appointments (209 emergency visits)

6,829

Visits to Sage House, including: 
2,499 basic needs kits distributed 
763 health consultations 

125

Clients supported annually by 
Wiisocotatiwin’s ACT mental health model 

480+

Social work counseling sessions 

809

Food bank users supported 

161

Wellness group sessions promoting
community mental health 

Celebrate and Participate

Throughout our centennial year, Mount Carmel Clinic will host events and activities
that bring community together, honour our history, and look ahead to the future.

January 2026

Centennial
Launch

Visit our website and follow us on social media for updates, stories, and centennial announcements throughout the year.

May 2026

Community
Open House

A welcoming opportunity for alumni, clients, partners, and community members to gather, reconnect, and visit the clinic over warm tea and fresh bannock.

June 2026

National Indigenous
Peoples Day

As part of our centennial, we are supporting a National Indigenous Peoples Day event that honours the Indigenous partners, Elders, Indigenous community members and partners who shape our work and guide our approach to care.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Next 100 Years

As Mount Carmel Clinic enters its second century, the need for accessible, community-centred care remains as urgent as it was at our founding. The clinic continues to evolve and adapt in response to the needs of the community.

Looking ahead, Mount Carmel Clinic is guided by both short- and long-term goals that include programmatic growth and capital development. As part of this work, the clinic will open its newly enhanced space at 896 Main Street, strengthening access to care and supporting the delivery of services in a setting designed to better meet community needs. Enhancements to the clinic’s physical space are ongoing, and new services and programs continue to be added as community needs emerge.

This work is carried forward not only by the clinic, but by the community and supporters who believe in care grounded in respect and equity.

SUPPORT THE NEXT CENTURY OF CARE