Nurse Sarah Wade's medical inspection

After making the crossing by boat, disembark at the quay of the Grosse île quarantine station, the first in Canada. Exhausted? No time to relax as you're directed to a medical inspection.

Nurse Sarah Wade welcomes you. After an medical inspection, she invites you to proceed to the next step: disinfection. Walk into the showers where travelers were once sprayed with a mixture of water and mercury bichloride. Don't worry, you'll stay dry! Next, visit the disinfection ovens and waiting rooms, then the 30 or so buildings that bear witness to the island's painful past. It’s impossible not to be moved by a display inspired by a typical scene of immigrants arriving in the country.

This experience is part of Destination Canada’s Canadian Signature Experiences collection, which shows the world the best that Canada has to offer.

See all of Parks Canada’s Canadian Signature Experiences