From information provided by the Sisters of Providence, 1973 Way back in 1929 the pioneers in the Fort St. John area, miles away from medical help, began to feel the need for a hospital. “Before the opening of the hospital,” reports Mr. Gran”, a man from Rose Prairie limped into the doctor’s office. He had… Read More

The continuing immigration of settlers into the Pouce Coupe Prairie evoked the need of some form of medical attention for the growing population. The Red Cross, in an attempt to alleviate the situation, had sent in Miss Kathleen Hastie, a registered nurse, around 1919. She found it impossible to cope with the situation and requested… Read More

This started as a little spark that was fanned each time sickness and tragedy struck our community. At first it was almost too much to hope for even though we were so distant from medical facilities. Our population was small and scattered, and many other remote areas had as great a need as we did…. Read More

By Janet E. Paul Perhaps before I attempt to describe work in an outpost hospital, I should answer a question that was frequently asked when I first came to this country. “Why did you come, what brought you away out here?” The answer is simple. At home in New Brunswick I had read an article in… Read More

By Dorthea Calverley, InterviewerMrs Calverley was talking to Anne Shearer about early hospital services in the area and the work of Dr. Watson. Mrs. Shearer: Miss Crook and Dr. Watson deserve a great deal of credit for what they did. They were on call twenty-four hours a day. No baby was ever delivered in that… Read More

Information supplied by the Sisters of Providence. St. Martin Hospital forms part of the Mission at Desmarais served by the Sisters of Providence under the Oblate Fathers. The Residential School was opened July 13, 1901 but the Hospital itself begins August 17, 1928 with a 16-bed capacity. In January 1935 we find an enlargement to… Read More

Information supplied by the Sisters of Providence, 1973. The country around McLennan, Falher, Donnelly, Girouxville, and the surrounding area was opening up rapidly to farmers who had taken homesteads, and the fact that McLennan had become a railroad town made it stand out among the others. Father Cozanet, O.M.I., pastor of McLennan, begged the Sisters… Read More

Information by the Sisters of Providence, 1973 As far back as 1934, Dr. Gudmunder Paulson combined a six-bed hospital and a private residence. It was known as the Paulson Hospital. It was a two-storey building 60 feet by 32 feet, with good appearance. Mrs. Paulson, a registered nurse, cared for the few patients who could… Read More

Wednesday, November 30, 1932 will stand out as a red-letter day in the history of Dawson Creek. At 2:30 p.m. on this day the new hospital was opened by W. S. Bullen of Dawson Creek. The first speaker was Mr. J.N. Bond, treasurer of the general hospital committee. He called the crowd together and in… Read More

  The Hon. Eric Martin, Minister of Health Services and Hospital Insurance for the provincial government, cut the ribbon across the double doors to officially open Saint Joseph General Hospital in Dawson Creek on Saturday, July 22, 1961. Over 3,000 people toured the new structure on the two days of open house following the official… Read More