The Ninette Sanatorium was established in 1909 in Ninette, Manitoba. It was also known as the Manitoba Sanatorium. Ninette Sanatorium buildings were designed by architect W. H. Shillinglaw and built by contractor William Bell, and it was established on the shores of Pelican Lake, as prior to World War II, tuberculosis (TB) treatment generally consisted of “rest, good food, and fresh air.” Facilities included a large veranda where patients could lie in beds while sitting by the lake.

The first patient arrived in 1910. The Sanatorium officially opened with a capacity of sixty patients. By the 1920s, Ninette Sanatorium was serving 280 patients. Ninette Sanatorium became the largest TB hospital in Manitoba. Initially, it served primarily white patients.

Initially, the Ninette Sanatorium housed primarily white patients, but over time, especially after WWII, more and more Indigenous people were housed there. During the mid twentieth century, medical professionals, such as the Sanatorium’s own E. L. Ross, M.D. and A. L. Paine, M.D., believed that Indigenous communities were at higher risk for contracting TB. In 1963, over 80 Métis and Inuit men, women, and children were sent to there for treatment.

By the late 1960s, TB treatment advances lessened the need for an institutional Sanatorium. In 1965, Manitoba funded the transfer of facilities into the “Pembina House;” it provided education programs that promoted the integration of “social and academic upgrading;” and did not solely consist of TB patients. In 1972, Pembina House closed, and the remaining Sanatorium facilities did as well.

From 1973-2000, the Ninette Sanatorium buildings served as the Pelican Lake Training Centre, housing patients with special needs. In 2000, a Christian group used the grounds for retreats and conferences. Currently, the original Ninette Sanatorium grounds are privately owned.

• Manitoba Indigenous Tuberculous History Project. Ninette (Manitoba) Sanatorium. https://indigenoustbhistory.ca/history/ninette-sanatorium
• Manitoba Historical Society Archives. Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ninette Sanatorium. http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/ninettesanatorium.shtml
• Ross, E L, and A L Paine. “A Tuberculosis Survey of Manitoba Indians.” Canadian Medical Association Journal 41, no. 2 (1939): 180–84.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) was founded in 2004 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It acts as the major acute care hospital serving people in Thunder Bay and across Northwestern Ontario.

The TBRHSC is known for its cancer research and education practices. The hospital works closely with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. The TBRHSC is listed as one of the “Top 40 Research Hospitals in Canada."

In 1995, Thunder Bay’s McKellar General Hospital (founded in 1903) and Port Arthur General Hospital (founded in 1909) amalgamated to form the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital. This organization evolved into the TBRHSC with a new building, holding its grand opening in 2004. The new build design received awards, such as being rated sixth on the list of “the world's 30 most architecturally impressive hospitals.”

Website active as of 2025: https://tbrhsc.net/

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. A History of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. https://tbrhsc.net/tbrhsc/history/
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Research. https://tbrhsc.net/programs-services/regional-cancer-care/information-for-healthcare-providers/research/
Wikipedia.Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Bay_Regional_Health_Sciences_Centre

Dr. Albert E. Allen was a pathologist from Fort William. He was born in Hampton, Ontario. He graduated with a bachelors of biology from Victoria College in Toronto in 1929, and went on to obtain a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1932. He worked at McGill University before accepting a position as Director of Pathology for the Ontario Health Regional Laboratory in Fort William in 1943. He was also the pathologist for St. Joseph’s Hospital until 1950, and for McKellar General Hospital until 1954.

Dr. Allen was known for his extensive knowledge of natural history. He was a contributor to many natural history publications, and was an avid outdoorsman. He was a founding member of the Toronto Ornithological Club; a trustee of the Ontario Waterfowl Research Federation; a member on the advisory board of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, a member of the Minnesota Ornithological Union; and was a president of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists from 1943-47, and 1951-53. Dr. Allen was an avid bird watcher and regularly recorded notes of his observations. He also kept journals related to his activities on the study of nature, and of local events. Dr. Allen passed away in 1966 at the age of 60.