Charles Camsell Hospital
12804 114 Avenue, Edmonton
In 1914, the Jesuits built the Francis Xavier Academy in what is now Edmonton’s Inglewood neighbourhood. The Academy, a school for young boys, was used in WWII as a base for American Army Engineers while they built the Alaska Highway.
After the war, the Canadian government decided to use the property, which had grown to include several outbuildings, as a tuberculosis (TB) hospital for Indigenous peoples from the north.
Patients began arriving late in 1945; the hospital officially opened in August 1946. The original building was used until 1967 when the building that currently stands on the property was opened. The old college was destroyed.
Government agents and medical teams flew into northern communities, sometimes forcibly removing those with TB, ostensibly due to the highly contagious nature of the disease. The use of force did not end there, as patients were often subject to inhumane procedures such as experimental surgeries, forced sterilizations, and drug testing without consent. There are many stories of patients being abused and the emotional trauma of being taken away from their homes was debilitating.
Not everybody made it home from the Camsell. Some families from northern communities are still looking for their loved ones in hospital records across Canada. Many of the Camsell’s former patients are buried at the Aboriginal Cemetery in St. Albert.
During the 1970s the need for a dedicated tuberculosis hospital slowly declined. The Camsell became a general hospital until it was decommissioned in 1993. The building has stood empty ever since, but its history still haunts Indigenous peoples.
More Information and Resources
Charles Camsell Hospital fonds, edm-1518, City of Edmonton Archives
Eugenics Archives: Charles Camsell Indian Hospital
UAlberta Law: Edmonton's Own Hospital of Horrors
Royal Alberta Museum: Camsell Collection
Era: The Post-War Years
Themes:
Government
Cultural Groups:
Indigenous
Area:
Northwest
- 15
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- 53.563675 -113.542860
Comments
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I was a patient in this hospital from 1964 - 66 from whitehorse yukon
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I was a patient in Charles camsel hosp. I kept my memories good and bad .
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I was admitted there after being diagnosed with polio in 1956 when I was 2 years old. I remember Dr. Santokh Singh. I liked it there!
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I was born here in 1983. Coming up to my 40th birthday in a month I've had a really intense interest in this building again.
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I had my tonsils taken out in 1992 when I was 12 years old. I didn't like staying overnight myself there.
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I have a question how do I get to Charles Cause Hospital I'm new in Edmonton
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I was born there 40 years ago
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i’m trying to trace my father i believe he was a doctor here terrance grant bromley he came to canada in 1966. i belive his wife called nancy. i lived then in leigh in lancashire nr liverpool any information would be very welcome. my mother has just passed away and the information was in personal belongings addressed to me. jonoultram@gmail.com
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To the edmontonmapsheritage.ca webmaster, Keep sharing your knowledge!
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I was born and taken from my mother at this hospital. It was a disturbing situation. I know I have lasting impacts from the trauma I would have been through. The place is haunting me to this day. I feel inside that I need to go and revisit hauntingly cruel and dark place.
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My granny Vivian worked at this hospital in the 80s
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14-Sep 2023 My youngest sister Melanie was born at CCH in 1987!
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This hospital haunts me till this day.. I’ll Never forget the untraceable screams and faint moans of dark empty hallways at night.. many people mysteriously passed away at this place.. just standing outside of this building you can feel the fear and pain.. I can’t go back
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