Even after a working life the sisters can contribute with a prayer partner, contact new immigrants to offer advice or assist staff and visitors.
The retirement building where they live is deemed by the Toronto Star to be "a marvel of modernity, built to the highest standards of environmental sensitivity: solar panels, rain-collection barrels, geothermal heating and cooling, a green roof and even permeable pavers in the parking lot to reduce water runoff."
The Sisters of St. Joseph wanted a building with proximity to nature to enliven their work and prayer lives. The views from the rooms are expansive and accessible to the smells and sounds of nature.
“We wanted simplicity,” Sister Margaret Myatt told The Star. “We wanted it to be as green a building as possible, to respect nature, and to be efficient and sustainable.”
The 4-story building has a ground floor area with a lobby. The second and third floors are utilized as a care center for residents. The top floor is an assisted-living area for the nuns.
In 1891, the Sisters of St. Joseph of founded St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto which has become an internationally-renowned health care facility. As well, they founded Toronto's St. Joseph's Hospital.