Our history

At the beginning of the last century, more than one child out of four died before reaching its first year. Moved by this situation, Irma Levasseur (1878-1964) (french only), the first French-Canadian woman doctor, raises the awareness of this problem in her profession and entourage.

Her meeting with Justine Lacoste-Beaubien as well as the generosity of friends and benefactors made it possible to open the first French-speaking pediatric hospital in Montreal in a house on Saint-Denis on November 26, 1907. In this twelve-bed hospital, it received its first patient, the dying child that Irma Levasseur had been treating at home.

The Hospital was incorporated the following year. This was the first milestone in a long history of innovation. The Hôpital Sainte-Justine grew rapidly with the support of women who were devoted to the children’s cause.

Time line

1908

Official recognition of Sainte-Justine’s incorporation as a hospital by the provincial government.

1910

The internal management of the Hôpital Sainte-Justine and the École d'infirmières was entrusted to the nuns of the Filles de la Sagesse congregation.

1914

Signature of an affiliation agreement with the Université Laval de Montréal and a move into the first “true” hospital at 1879 Saint-Denis on the corner of Bellechasse in 1879.

1915

Creation of a Chair in Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine at the Université Laval de Montréal.

1928

Creation of an Obstetrics Department at the Hôpital Sainte-Justine.

1950

Beginning of construction work on the “grand hôpital” located on Côte-Sainte-Catherine in Montreal.

1957

The Hôpital Sainte-Justine moved into the new building at 3175 Côte Sainte-Catherine on October 20 where it is still located today.

1969

Creation of the Fondation Justine-Lacoste-Beaubien to foster research.

1971

Inauguration of a children’s dialysis center.

1973

Inauguration of the Research Center of the Hôpital Sainte-Justine.

1974

Inauguration of a Community Health Department and Intensive Care Unit for Prematures. Transfer of the Obstetrics Department from the Hôpital de la Miséricorde to the Hôpital Sainte-Justine, which also became a provincial center for consultation and expertise for high-risk pregnancies and prematures. The Fondation Sainte-Justine was set up to renew the medical equipment and renovate the care units.

1975

Inauguration of a Department of Adolescent Medicine.

1982

Ouverture du ManOpening of the Ronald McDonald House next to the Hôpital Sainte-Justine, a home away from home’ for out-of-town families with children admitted to the Hospital.

1987

Merger of the Fondation Justine-Lacoste-Beaubien and the Fondation Sainte-Justine and the creation of the Fondation de l'Hôpital Sainte-Justine as we know it today.

1988

Creation of the Child Development Center.

1991

Restructuring of the Unit on the 6th Floor, Block 4, to allow parent-child cohabitation.

1992

Adoption of a common corporate identity for the Hospital, Research Center and Foundation.

1993

Inauguration of the Craniofacial Surgery Center.
Beginning of construction work on the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau.

1995

Opening of the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau.
Designation of the Hospital as Quebec’s only Mother-Child University Hospital Center – UHC (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Mère-Enfant du Québec) by the Department of Health and Social Services (MSSS). It then sanctioned Sainte-Justine’s unique role and distinctive contribution to health care, teaching and research.

1997

Creation of the Supraregional Mother-Child Network for health care professionals.

2000

Integration of the Hôpital Marie-Enfant and the Centre de réadaptation Marie Enfant (CRME), on Bélanger street in Montreal.

2002

Creation of the Réseau mère-enfant de la Francophonie. Adoption of the strategic plan 2002 – 2007 (PDF 1286 Ko) French only.

2003

Launching of the 2003-2007 “Growing Up Healthy” development campaign.

2005

The CHU mère-enfant Sainte-Justine was renamed, becoming the CHU Sainte-Justine – Le centre hospitalier universitaire mère-enfant in order to clearly underline the distinctive character of this university hospital center.