After building the railway to Lac La Biche, J.D. McArthur sought to take further advantage of it by building the Lac La Biche Inn. He intended to provide a scenic getaway for the people of Edmonton. McArthur’s plan wasn’t as lucrative as he hoped, but the building went to good use when the Filles de Jésus converted it into St. Catherine Hospital, the first in Lac La Biche.