Today
Changing of the names “Manitoba Asylum”, “Selkirk Insane Hospital”, “Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases”, and “Selkirk Mental Health Centre” reflect the changes in attitude, philosophy, and function that mark the course of progress in the care and treatment of mental health.
SELKIRK
2009 – Selkirk’s old asylum buildings – the last in Canada – close. In the following years, numerous old asylum buildings are remodeled or demolished. Few buildings are maintained, even for new purposes.
2024 – The Selkirk Mental Health Centre is a 252-bed facility that offers specialized inpatient mental health services, treatment for acquired brain injuries and the rehabilitation of Manitoba residents whose complex needs cannot be met elsewhere in the provincial health care system. It employs psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists and psychologists who belong to treatment teams with the aim of responding to the patient’s needs and developing plans for their return to community life.
BRANDON
The former nurses’ residence has now become The Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts, part of Assiniboine Community College. There are long-term plans to use the other buildings on site as well.
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
2010 – Community Living Manitoba files a human rights complaint on behalf of those still residing at Manitoba Development Centre.
2018 – Facility closures continue. A class action suit has been filed against the government for allegedly failing to care for and protect those living at Manitoba Development Centre.
2024 – Final closures at Manitoba Development Centre. Now Manitobans can focus on healing and recovery and Manitoba is firmly committed to ensuring there will never be another facility for “labelled people”…
Sources
Centre de santé mentale de Selkirk – Soins communs (soinscommunsmb.ca)
[https://soinscommunsmb.ca/services/sante-mentale/smhc/]
Module trois : Manitoba – Truths of Institutionalization
[https://truthsofinstitutionalization.ca/fr/modules/module-trois-mb/]