In 1639, three French nuns arrived in Québec with the purpose of establishing Hôtel-Dieu of Precious-Blood, the first hospital north of Mexico. The Augustines of the Mercy of Jesus also opened a monastery here and five more across Québec. The Hospitaller Sisters obviously did a marvelous job of establishing roots in the community because the teaching hospital is still thriving. It is affiliated with Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec. CHUQ has over 1,500 medical professionals and is the city’s largest employer. The structures within Hôtel-Dieu de Québec range in age from 1695 through 2001. The complex is listed as a National Historic Site of Canada.
