NORTH BAY – Annette Dionne, the last surviving Dionne quintuplet and a prominent advocate for children’s rights, has passed away. According to a social media post from the Dionne Quints Home Museum in North Bay, Ontario, Annette died on Christmas Eve at the age of 91, though no further details were disclosed.
The museum paid tribute to Annette, highlighting her commitment to preserving the history of the Dionne quintuplets and the significance it holds for future generations. “She believed it was important to maintain the Dionne Quints Museum and the history it provides for the future of all children,” they conveyed in their message. Annette was not only the last surviving quintuplet but also the final member among the 14 children born to the Dionne family.
The Dionne quintuplets—comprising Annette, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile, and Marie—gained international fame upon their birth on May 28, 1934, in Corbeil, Ontario. They were the first quintuplets known to survive infancy, drawing immense public attention. However, this fame had profound repercussions on their lives. During the Great Depression, the Ontario government removed the quintuplets from their parents' custody, placing them under a board of guardians due to concerns over the family’s ability to care for them, as they already had five other children.
Effectively, the quintuplets were placed in a nursery-style exhibition where visitors could observe them through one-way glass. Known as “Quintland,” this was Canada’s largest tourist attraction at the time, generating approximately $500 million in revenue for the province. The quintuplets’ lives were further commercialized through Hollywood films and endorsements from major brands like Kellogg's and Palmolive. Additionally, five identical ships were named after the sisters during World War II.
For the first nine years of their lives, the quintuplets remained on public display, while their mother, Oliva Dionne, struggled unsuccessfully to regain custody. Upon turning 18, the quintuplets chose to leave the limelight and relocated to Montreal.
Emilie was the first to pass away in August 1954, followed by Marie in 1970. In recent years, Cecile, who had died earlier in 2025, sought compensation from the Ontario government for the years in which they were on display. In 1998, the Ontario government issued an apology to the surviving sisters and provided a $4 million settlement acknowledging the exploitation they endured.
Later, Yvonne succumbed to cancer, passing away three years after the settlement. Annette expressed in a 2019 interview with The Canadian Press that parents should regard childhood as a vital period that should not be commodified for profit.
The Dionne Quints Home Museum, which serves as the original family home of the Dionne quintuplets, was relocated to North Bay, ensuring that their family legacy is preserved for future generations. Annette’s life and advocacy work have left an indelible mark in the community and beyond.
