History

Since 1931, kind caregivers have worked in a building that sits at 440 River Road.  Originally the St. Boniface Sanatorium, the Grey Nuns cared for patients with tuberculosis here. The building was re-named the St. Vital Hospital in 1961 when care was expanded beyond tuberculosis. Children with disabilities were first admitted to the St.Amant Ward in 1959.

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Black and white photo of St. Vital Hospital - description on back - taken 40 years ago September 29, 1917

The Grey Nuns provided holistic care for each person they supported. They were advocates and determined to break barriers for people with developmental disabilities in Manitoba. Sister Rita Desrosiers along with strong family advocates, were instrumental in opening the first community group home for people with disabilities in 1977. Today, there are more than 130 community based residential supports through St.Amant in Manitoba.

The organization was re-named St.Amant Centre in 1974 as the space became dedicated to meeting the needs of persons with developmental disabilities. In 2005 the name evolved once more to St.Amant, to reflect widening scope of our work, most of which now happens throughout communities in Manitoba.

The Grey Nuns provided direction and leadership of the organization into the 1990’s. In October of 2000, the Grey Nuns of Manitoba transferred the stewardship, governance and ownership of their health care works, including St.Amant, to the Compassion Network. We are still a member of the Compassion Network today.

St.Amant has grown from one building in St. Vital, to a large network of comprehensive care and resources for adults and children with developmental disabilities and autism. St.Amant now includes St.Amant Foundation and St.Amant Research centre. Our organization was born out of a compassionate collaboration and we strive to follow those the values each day.

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Why the name St.Amant?

St.Amant was named in honour of Beatrice St. Amant.

Unable to find a facility to care for her young son with epilepsy, she gave up teaching in 1939 and cared for him, and, other children with epilepsy and developmental disabilities in a wood frame turn-of-the-century farmhouse, just outside of Transcona, in Winnipeg Manitoba.

She cared for more than 100 children at the Youville Epileptic Hospital, until she became ill and could see her time of service was limited. In 1959, Beatrice St. Amant requested the assistance of the Grey Nuns of Manitoba, who continued her legacy of compassionate care.