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STORIES / Cathy Crowe

Cathy Crowe

Cathy Crowe, as one of Canada’s first street nurses, received the Order of Canada in 2018. Her documentaries platform the vulnerable, depicting her advocacy for the health and rights of the homeless.

A portrait illustration of Cathy Crowe.

Nurse and Healthcare Activist
Born in 1952

Cathy Crowe’s entire career has been nursing for social justice particularly in homelessness since 1988, earning her the nickname “Street Nurse.” Her work has influenced public policy victories through coalitions and advocacy initiatives. In 1998 she co-founded the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC), which declared homelessness a National Disaster. A documentary film on her work titled Street Nurse has had a major impact on nursing education in Canada. Honoured with the Order of Canada in 2018, Crowe’s authorship and public speaking highlight the urgent need for affordable housing and accessible healthcare.


Having given up her nursing license in 2022 to protest government policies, Crowe persists in raising awareness and action against homelessness and healthcare inequities.

Explore more women who transformed Toronto.

Further Resources
Learn more about Crowe and her work from the Canadian Nurses Foundation

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