Bay Centre Timeline

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May 1972

WCH Family Planning Program

After the legalization of contraception in Canada in 1969, Dr. John Taylor helps to establish a Family Planning Program at WCH.

Dr. Jadwiga Iwanowska is hired as the project director and tasked with writing a grant proposal to fund a community-based birth control clinic. The project receives funding from the Department of National Health and Welfare (now knows as Health Canada).

March 19, 1973

Bay Centre for Birth Control Opens

Bay Centre for Birth Control opens its doors as Toronto’s first hospital-supported walk-in birth control clinic, located at 901 Bay Street in a small house. The space is shared with WCH’s Cancer Detection Clinic.
 
Dr. Jadwiga Iwanowska is appointed as Bay Centre’s first medical director. Its staff consists of one public health nurse, two counsellors, four physicians, and six volunteer workers.

In its first year, Bay Centre sees 2,216 patients – with 70% of its patients under the age of 20 years old.

Bay Centre also establishes itself as a teaching site, accepting nursing, medical, social work and pharmacy students.

Summer 1973

Bay Centre begins promotion

Early on, Bay Centre finds non-traditional ways to promote its services.
 
Bay Centre begins to operate a Monday afternoon clinic out of the Don Vale Community Centre in Toronto’s east end. Bay Centre workers go door-to-door in 40 neighbourhood apartment buildings to promote the clinic.
 
Bay Centre also advertises its services in the Hydro and Manulife employee newsletters.

November 1974

Bay Centre narrowly avoids closing

After its initial funding from Health Canada ends, it appears that the Bay Centre might have to close its doors. However, it remains open thanks to volunteer physicians at WCH who staff the clinic for almost one month. Funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Health is secured by the end of November 1974.

1975

Bay Centre reaches over 5,000 patients per year

1975

Bay Centre’s Joyce Kennedy becomes WCH’s first nurse practitioner

September 1976

Planned Parenthood Volunteer Counsellors join Bay Centre

Trained volunteer counsellors from Planned Parenthood Toronto start working eight half-day shifts per week at the Bay Centre after an agreement between the two organizations is reached. According to WCH, “the enterprise has been judged to be extremely successful by patients, Planned Parenthood and the Bay Centre staff alike.”

1981

Dr. Marion Powell is appointed as the Medical Director of Bay Centre

Dr. Powell joined the staff of Bay Centre in July 1973 as a staff physician. For the next 20+ years she conducts numerous research studies out of Bay Centre in the areas of sexual and reproductive health. She also becomes a trusted advisor to the Canadian and Ontario governments on issues related to reproductive rights. Dr. Powell later retires as Bay Centre’s Medical Director in 1988 but remains on its staff until her death in 1997.

1982

Bay Centre reaches over 10,000 patients per year

February 12 – 18, 1984

Birth Control Week

Bay Centre takes centre stage at “Birth Control Week” as Toronto’s busiest and only full-time birth control clinic.

1984

Bay Centre’s Dr. Marion Powell is awarded Toronto’s YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for health and education

1986

Bay Centre Education

Bay Centre reaches over 1,000 students from Toronto and Peel Region with its High School Education Program.

1987

An AIDS educator joins Bay Centre staff and helps to initiate programs for staff and public education

1988

Women’s Health Centre

Bay Centre is incorporated into Ontario’s first Regional Women’s Health Centre located at WCH and later moves into 790 Bay Street.

1990

Bay Centre Moves

In 1990, Bay Centre moves from 901 Bay St. into an office building at 790 Bay St.

1993

Bay Centre begins a free Hepatitis B immunization program for high-risk women

1994

Bay Centre reaches over 25,000 patients per year

1995

Ministry of Health Designation for HIV Testing

As of April 3, 1995, Ontario’s Ministry of Health designates the Bay Centre as an Anonymous HIV Testing site. This new service allows the Bay Centre to have a comprehensive STD service.

December 1995

MVA Program Opens

The Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) Program is piloted to provide necessary care to women who suffer miscarriages or other fetal loss without the need for general anesthetic. The program is administered and staffed onsite by Bay Centre.

November 1996

Bay Centre participates in one-day workshop for practitioners called “Conception and Menopause in the ’90s” at WCH

1996

Bay Centre begins providing support to the Immigrant Women’s Health Centre with two 3-hour monthly clinics

1997

Women’s Health Matters Forum & Expo

Between 1997 – 2009, Bay Centre participates in the annual Women’s Health Matters Forum & Expo to promote its services and provide sexual health information.

1998

Expanding birth control eligibility

Bay Centre expands the provision of emergency contraception to those using barrier method, abstinence and those starting a new method of contraception.

2002

Dr. Sheila Dunn Receives Dr. Marion Powell Award

Dr. Sheila Dunn, Medical Director of Bay Centre, is awarded the Dr. Marion Powell Award – an award established by WCH to recognize individuals who exemplify Dr. Powell’s legacy of leadership, commitment, and dedication to the advocacy of women’s health.

2015

Bay Centre Moves, Again

Bay Centre moves into WCH’s main hospital building at 76 Grenville St.

June 2020

Virtual Reproductive Care

In June of 2020, Bay Centre launches one of Ontario’s first virtual ‘no-touch’ abortion programs to deliver safe and timely access to Mifegymiso for medication abortion. By integrating virtual care into its services, the Bay Centre is able to provide contraceptive counselling and virtual no-touch abortion care for people living in remote areas of Ontario, where access to clinics is limited and patients would otherwise need to travel long distances to access reproductive healthcare.

The launch was fast-tracked to accommodate the barriers to access exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including quarantine restrictions, stay-at-home orders or the threat of domestic violence.

Summer 2022

T2 Abortion access

In the summer of 2022, Bay Centre becomes one of few hospitals in Ontario to offer surgical abortions up to 24 weeks gestational age.