By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
The Bedford Pole Health Committee (BPHC) hasn’t given up on the long-planned CHSLD expansion, despite the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS and the Fondation Lévesque-Craighead, the local hospital foundation which had raised funds for the project, declaring it formally dead last month.
The $15-million expansion, announced by then-seniors’ affairs minister Marguerite Blais in 2022, was cancelled by the CIUSSS two years later, amid financial pressure and what CIUSSS officials deemed a lack of sufficient demand. Despite a large-scale mobilization campaign piloted by the BPHC and a petition with more than 3,400 signatures tabled at the National Assembly by Liberal seniors’ affairs critic Linda Caron, the CIUSSS confirmed the cancellation of the project.
The committee plans to hold a public meeting on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Centre Georges-Perron to discuss potential alternative ways forward for the project. A representative from the local Liberal riding association and a lawyer will be present to talk to participants about procedural options.
“We want to give the population an update,” said BPHC spokesperson Pierrette Messier. “We’re not expecting [the CIUSSS] to put the project back on the table – we’re aware that there are so many cuts around the province – but we want to keep it alive. Many people have been asking us what’s going on. We’ll give the chronology of everything that’s been happening since May.”
“We are afraid [the CIUSSS] will close the CHSLD if nothing changes,” added co-spokesperson Normand Deragon. “We want people to be at home with their family and friends for the last few miles of their lives.”
An initial announcement last week mistakenly implied that a representative from Caron’s office would attend, but Caron said no one from her office had been informed or was available. Messier said a representative from the local Liberal party would attend to help explain the political process.
“We don’t really have anything new to share,” Caron said. “I tabled the petition [on Oct. 10] and I requested for it to be taken up by the health and social services committee of the National Assembly.” Caron said she requested that representatives from the BPHC, the Fondation Lévesque-Craighead, seniors’ advocates and local elected officials be given the opportunity to plead their case before the committee. On Oct. 24, the committee decided not to move forward with her request. “From here, we don’t really have any leverage to try and unblock the project.”
Deragon said the committee was grateful for Caron’s support. “She’s done her job, and she undoubtedly has other fish to fry at this point.”
Caron said she would continue to “keep an eye” on potential opportunities to revive the project. “I haven’t forgotten about it, and sometimes there’s a window that can open.”