Assiniboine College officially renamed its nursing school the Edna Edwards School of Nursing on May 13, 2026, following a $4 million gift from Russ Edwards to honour his late wife. The donation, announced during National Nursing Week, will support student research and provide financial awards for those pursuing the nursing bridge program.
Edna Edwards began her nursing career in the 1950s by training as a psychiatric nurse at what was then the Brandon Mental Health Centre. That site now serves as the college’s North Hill campus. She later became a registered nurse and spent most of her professional life working at St. Boniface Hospital, where she also served as a head nurse in several departments. As part of her legacy, $500,000 of the total gift has been designated to the Edna Edwards Endowment Fund at St. Boniface Hospital to assist future doctors in their training.
The Edna Edwards School of Nursing acts as the lead trainer of practical nurses in Manitoba and Canada. The school delivers its programs at all permanent college locations, including the Parkland Campus in Dauphin, and maintains more than 10 rural, community-based sites across the province at one time.
Russ Edwards is the founder and chairman of WGI Westman Group Inc., a large manufacturer of steel products that began in 1976 with a single mill. Manitoba Minister of Advanced Education and Training Renée Cable described the donation as a significant investment that will help improve and sustain healthcare throughout the province.
