Learn a little of Toronto's history as told through its plaques.

House of Providence

Photos by Alan L Brown - May, 2008

Here, just south of St. Paul's Basilica, which is located at the corner of Queen Street East and Power Street, are two 2007 Heritage Toronto plaques that tell us about a house of charity. Here's what the first plaque says:

Once one of the city's largest centres of charity, the House of Providence stood nearby for over 100 years. It was initiated by Toronto's Roman Catholic Bishop, Armand-François-Marie de Charbonnel, in response to the plight of the desperately poor, including many Irish immigrants. To provide shelter and food for those most in need, de Charbonnel enlisted both the help of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the generosity of the surrounding community. Operated by the Sisters, the House of Providence opened in 1857.

Here's what the second plaque says:

Nearly always filled to capacity, the House of Providence would eventually quadruple in size to provide for about 700 residents, including the elderly, the unemployed, orphans, widows, and newcomers to Canada. Some stayed only a few days; others, for years. At its doors, daily meals were given out to the hungry, particularly during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The House of Providence was demolished in 1962 to make way for the Richmond Street exit from the Don Valley Parkway. It was by then a home for the aged, and its residents moved with the sisters of St. Joseph to Providence Villa and Hospital, a new facility located at St. Clair and Warden Avenues, and known today as Providence Healthcare.

Related Ontario plaque page
Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge

Plaque Location Co-ordinates: 43.655391 -79.362960

More institutional buildings

Here are the comments for this page.

Posted April 24, 2010
There used to be a Boys' Orphanage across the street from the Providence Villa. I know that houses now exist on the property. At one point, Providence Villa owned all the land from Eglinton down to the Danforth, From Warden to just where Heron Dr, and the Jewish Cemetery are. My mother lived at Presley Ave and St. Clair E, right on the corner, and she used to raid their apple trees. My mother used to go visit with the people at the house over the street, just in front of the Orphanage. The man that lived there with his wife and son, used to do the maintenance on the grounds of both Providence Villa and the orphanage. I wonder how many boys remember the place, or want to.
Old Scarborough Resident.

Posted April 10, 2009
I worked at Providence Healthcare that is now located at Warden and St.Clair Ave East in Scarborough On, It truly is a great place with friendly and caring staff

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