Bill O’Neill, a man who exemplifies Kensington’s values of compassion, empathy and collaboration.

After more than 23 years of leadership, Bill O’Neill, Vice-President of Resident and Community Care, is retiring effective October 2, 2023.

To say that Bill is a Kensington institution is an understatement. He was our very first employee – number 0001, in fact – and has helped shape the organization into the special place it is today. He joined Kensington in 2000, before construction of the Gardens even began. He was instrumental in the planning, construction, opening and operation of our long-term care home. 

His reassuring presence, calm leadership and comforting sense of humour has helped countless residents, their families and loved ones ease the often difficult transition into long-term care. In fact, for many, the Gardens is Bill. 

This year, Kensington Gardens celebrated 20 years of being one of the most sought-after long-term care homes in Toronto. Over the years, the home has been an industry leader in care services, offering behavioural support programs, caregiver support and music and art therapy to residents, caregivers, and their families. 

In 2011, under Bill’s leadership, Kensington Health and the Kensington Health Foundation decided to meet a dire community need for end-of-life care by opening a hospice. It was certainly a challenge – there was no government support and renovations on the chapel at 38 Major proved to be a complicated project. But, thanks to his tenacity and vision, Kensington Hospice was created, taking full advantage of stunning architectural elements and history of helping those in need in our community.

Recognizing a need to support older adults living in the community, Bill brought the Second Mile Club (SMC) to Kensington in 2015. SMC is a community support service that promotes activities for older adults and has since become a vibrant cornerstone for our organization. On any given day, SMC is buzzing with engaging activities like art classes, line dancing, board games and social dining. SMC also provides critical caregiver support and has a community day hospice program. 

More recently, Bill led the Kensington Hospice expansion project – a labour of love as he calls it – which nearly doubles our capacity to serve our community. When complete in just a few short weeks, the Kensington Hospice will become Toronto’s most comprehensive single-site hospice and one of the largest in the country. 

However, his impact goes far beyond Kensington. Bill is a pillar in the long-term care community. He served as Chair of the Ontario Long-Term Care Association (OLTCA) and is currently the Secretary Treasurer for the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA). Truly, Bill has, and continues to, shape the sector and health system through his thoughtful leadership. 

Bringing that same spirit of partnerships and collaboration closer to home, Bill was also critical in creating Kensington’s relationship with our neighbours through the Harbord Village Residents Association. This partnership has been instrumental in ensuring our numerous construction projects over the years didn’t ruffle our neighbours’ feathers. 

It’s impossible to list all of Bill’s accomplishments over his more than two decades with us. We will continue to build on the solid foundation he has laid at Kensington. Bill is continuing to help transition his duties until 

Congratulations Bill on an incredible career, deep impact and lifelong friendships created along the way.