The school motto is "Goodness Discipline and Knowledge" and is based on the Basilian motto, Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce me, which comes from Psalm 119 of the Bible, - Teach me good judgement and knowledge: for I believe your commandments.

St. Charles College was opened in conjunction with the Basilian Fathers of Toronto on September 5, 1951, as an all-boys school which was located at the former Children's Aid Society shelter at 258 Pine Street in downtown Sudbury.

[1] On April 30, 2020, the Canadian Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the Basilian Fathers of Toronto to deny payment of nearly $2.5 million including $500,000 in punitive damages, to sex abuse victim Rod MacLeod.

[3] MacLeod, who was previously awarded this compensation by a jury in April 2018,[4] was sexually abused by former St. Charles teacher Father William Hodgson Marshall.

[5] Following further investigations, on August 25, the Greater Sudbury Police charged him with an additional five counts of sexual assault and five counts of sexual interference related to complaints of inappropriate behavior and touching involving students under the age of 16.