The Rideau Veterans Home was built by the federal government in 1945 as a temporary residence for the rehabilitation of service personnel returning from the Second World War. It gradually grew into a 139-bed home for the aged.
In 1988, the Perley Hospital was invited to submit a project plan to Veterans Affairs Canada to combine with the Rideau Veterans Home and the Veterans Wing of the National Defence Medical Centre to construct a new 450-bed facility. Construction began in 1994 with financing shared among Veterans Affairs Canada (55%), Ontario Ministry of Health (30%), Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton (10 %) and a community fundraising campaign (5%). The first residents moved into the new facility in 1995. In 1997, the Ministry of Health designated the new facility as a long-term care home.
