In 1883, the Saint Margaret’s Home for the Incurables was established by two nuns - Sister Sarah and Sister Josephine of the Sisterhood of the Society of Saint Margaret. The facility - which housed five patients and a chapel – was located at 835 Ontario Street West.
In 1888, the residence moved to 660 Sherbrooke Street West, where there was room to house 18 residents. With an ever-growing need for care, the Sisters moved the residence again in 1891 to a building at 104 Alexander Street, where 30 residents could be cared for.
The residence was moved several years later to Notman House at 51 Sherbrooke Street West and a building was constructed north of Notman House in order to accommodate 50 residents – men, women and children.
In 1920, Saint Margaret’s became a home for women only. By 1973, there were 60 residents, a staff of five to seven nuns, a minimum of three nurses and 40 kitchen, laundry and maintenance workers.
In 1975, the administration of Saint Margaret’s was secularized and the nuns withdrew completely.
In 1986, the Quebec government decided to build a new home to be named the Saint Margaret Residence (Centre d’Acceuil Saint Margaret). Not long after that, there was a merger between Saint Margaret and the Good Shepherd Home, which was a residence for men.
On March 22, 1991, the Saint Margaret Residence was moved from 51 Sherbrooke Street to its current location on 50 Hillside Avenue in Westmount.
Since April 1, 2015, Saint Margaret Residential Centre is a member of the Integrated Health and Social Services University Health Network for West-Central Montreal.