By Joel Ceausu

The 24 Arches communities across Quebec offering secure, integrated, long-term accommodation for people with intellectual disabilities or on the autism spectrum are at risk, says D’Arcy McGee MNA Elisabeth Prass.

The Official Opposition Critic for Persons Living with a Disability or with Autism Spectrum Disorder tabled a motion in the National Assembly last week asking the Legault government to grant increased and adequate funding to ensure sustainability of the homes run by the Association des Arches du Québec.

Inadequate funding, for homes in eight regions including Montreal since the 1970s, where residents live in apartments, duplexes and are fully integrated into their communities, leaves some in danger of closing, she says, and would force family members to become primary caregivers to their relatives, although in some cases, those individuals are too old to do so or non-existent.

The closure of these long-term establishments would be catastrophic for many families, she says. A lot of the 135 residents are in their 60s and 70s, she told The Suburban, “And if the house is closed down, they will end up in a long-term care centre or hospital bed, so the government’s lack of funding means they will take precious space in the system that’s more appropriate for others.”

Her motion was presented in concert with the other opposition groups, but the CAQ denied consent to put it to a vote. “The negative response from the CAQ to our motion is deplorable,” said Prass, who questioned Minister of Social Services Lionel Carmant about the homes receiving CIUSSS/CISSS funding that varies throughout Quebec, and that the same organization receives up to three times more financing per resident in Ontario.

Prass referenced a January La Presse report noting the Maisons Vero & Louis established by Quebec celebrities Véronique Cloutier and Louis Morissette receive up to three times more funding than Les Arches, prompting the organization and advocates to wonder if they needed a celebrity endorsement to secure funding.

Carmant insisted housing vulnerable people is a government priority and said discussions with Les Arches are ongoing to see “how we can compensate them for housing needs and ensure that these individuals, and we do not want them to move, stay in a place where they are well housed.” He also said only one location is in danger of closure right now due to financing, and that he was in touch with that community.

He said the government currently provides $4 million in funding for Arches daily activities, and noted there are 800 supervised Maison Alternative spaces for this clientele. “But there’s a huge waiting list,” says Prass. “The lists are years long. Where do people go in the meantime? Hospitals are supposed to treat people, they’re not meant to be living institutions.”

The organization relies on fundraising to make up the shortfall. Carmant agreed there is significant funding variation depending on the project, but insisted the imbalance was created when the first Maison Véro & Louis was announced under the former government, “where the funding was much higher than what has been done historically,” and said he’s ordered a review to develop “interregional equity” in funding according to severity of clientele disability.

The Ministry knows the needs are significant, spokesperson Marie-Pierre Blier told The Suburban, recognizing the valuable support provided by organizations such as Les Arches, which she noted, however, is not eligible for funding from the Community Organizations Support Program (PSOC) for their housing component, as the program provides support for temporary or transitional housing, not the needs of targeted clientele who require long-term housing. She also noted management of PSOC funding is “regionalized” so criteria for eligibility and follow-up for regional PSOC are determined by local CISSS/CIUSSS. n