Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

On December 1, Santé Québec officially took over the management of health services across
the province, centralizing healthcare administration. However, this restructuring comes with
troubling news for the Outaouais region, where the provincial government has announced a $90
million cut in healthcare funding to the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de
l’Outaouais (CISSSO).

The Coalition solidarité Outaouais, a collective of civil society organizations, trade unions, and
community groups, has raised alarms about these cuts. Members of the coalition argue that
these funding reductions, along with the increasing trend of privatizing healthcare services, will
have a detrimental effect on access to and quality of care in the region. “Private healthcare is
less effective, more expensive, and inequitable,” warns Mathieu Charbonneau, director of Action
Santé Outaouais. “It diverts resources and staff away from the public system, leading to longer
wait times and reduced access to care.”

Geneviève Tremblay-Racette, coordinator of the Table ronde des organismes volontaires
d’éducation populaire de l’Outaouais, emphasizes that privatization has already caused
disruptions in critical areas like obstetrics, emergency services, and medical imaging. “Cutting
public funding will only make the situation worse, particularly for the vulnerable populations who
rely on these services,” she says.

In addition to the funding cuts, the shift to centralized management under Santé Québec raises
concerns about the erosion of regional governance and local input. Many fear that decisions will
be made without considering the unique needs of the Outaouais region, diminishing the ability of
local healthcare workers and residents to have a say in the management of their services.
The Outaouais region has long struggled with a chronic shortfall in healthcare funding, now
estimated at $200 million. This underfunding has contributed to declining services and a
growing migration of healthcare professionals to neighbouring provinces. In light of this, leaders
are calling for a significant reinvestment in the public healthcare system, as well as a return to
more localized, democratic governance that gives citizens and healthcare workers a meaningful
role in decision-making.

Alfonso Ibarra Ramirez, president of the CSN Outaouais Council, questions whether the
government’s actions will accelerate the privatization of the healthcare system. “Has the CAQ
handed over the keys to the private sector, opening the door to even more privatization?” he
asks, noting that over 4,000 activists from the CSN and allied groups recently gathered in Trois-
Rivières to protest the increasing privatization of healthcare services. The group called on the
government to stop the migration of doctors to private clinics, halt issuing permits to for-profit
healthcare facilities, and impose a moratorium on outsourcing.​

The cuts, which also affect mental health services and are made despite recent collective
agreements aimed at improving regional healthcare, are deeply concerning. Guylaine Laroche,
president of the APTS Outaouais, highlights the inconsistency in the government’s policy. “The
government is imposing drastic cuts to services that the region has already been struggling to
access. This will hurt vulnerable populations the most,” she says.

For years, the Outaouais has been underfunded, with healthcare services continuously
deteriorating. The region is also seeing a steady outflow of healthcare professionals seeking
better opportunities elsewhere. Now, with further cuts looming, the government must act to
reinvest in the public system, improve working conditions for healthcare staff, and ensure that
healthcare services are accessible to all residents.

The Coalition solidarité Outaouais continues to call for a healthcare system that remains public,
adequately funded, and accessible to all. “To meet the specific needs of the Outaouais region,
we need a reinvestment in public healthcare, and we need a governance system that listens to
the voices of both citizens and healthcare workers,” concludes Charbonneau.

Photo: The Outaouais region urgently needs a reinvestment in its public healthcare system to
address chronic underfunding, prevent further privatization, and ensure accessible, equitable
care for all residents. (TF) Photo courtesy of CISSSO