budget cuts

‘We’ve been abandoned’

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By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative

Hills healthcare advocates say the provincial government has made the Outaouais health crisis worse by cutting a staggering 800 healthcare jobs from the region.  

The cuts were announced March 14 as part of the province’s austerity measures, which will see $1.5 billion slashed from Quebec’s healthcare network – $90 million of that coming out of the CISSS de l’Outaouais’s (CISSSO) budget. 

While a majority of the positions cut are currently vacant, SOS Outaouais president Jean Pigeon said the impact will be felt tenfold across the region. 

“There’s basically no amelioration for the healthcare network,” Pigeon told the Low Down. “It’s basically longer waiting times, fewer access and limited access to the healthcare system, and if you look at just recent numbers, most of our emergency wards are at 250 per cent of their capacity,” he added, referring to emergency departments at the Gatineau and Hull hospitals. 

Pigeon said his organization is concerned that two-thirds of the $90 million cut from the Outaouais will come in the form of job losses. While many of them were already vacant (about 100 actual jobs are being cut, according to CISSSO), he said he feels that not filling vacant positions in departments like medical scans and imagery, which are already operating at just 40 per cent capacity, will have a domino effect on healthcare in the Outaouais, where there are currently 78,000 residents in the Outaouais without a family doctor and nearly 7,500 in the des Collines region. 

“We’re in the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had for healthcare, and nobody seems to care about our region. We’ve been abandoned,” said Pigeon. He added that the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais has estimated that the Outaouais region faces a funding shortfall of $180 million when compared to other regions in Quebec. “I just think it’s going to get worse and worse because we should be fully in the mode of recruiting and keeping our staff. Now we’re telling staff to move away.”

Patient waited 230 hours

Pigeon referred to a patient in the Gatineau Hospital, who, during the March 1 weekend, spent “more than 230 hours in the emergency room,” while being treated for a mental health episode, according to CISSSO. The patient spent nearly 10 days on a hospital stretcher before he got a bed. 

“Before he actually got services and someone took him into care, he waited for 230 hours,” said Pigeon. “It’s unbelievable.”

Dr. Peter Bonneville, the president of the Conseil des médecins, dentistes et pharmaciens (CMDP) of the CISSSO and an ER doctor at the Gatineau Hospital told the Low Down he feels that CISSSO CEO Marc Bilodeau has done a “fantastic job,” given that his first mandate from Santé Québec was to slash $90 million from a health budget that has been bleeding for over a decade. 

What he doesn’t agree with, however, is how CISSSO was forced to cut $90 million out of its budget but the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, which is comparable to the Outaouais, only had to cut close to $40 million. 

“That’s a region that has just a bit less population than us, but has, right now, way better access to healthcare,” said Bonneville. “They have more active operating rooms right now, more specialists for the region.” 

It’s important to note that while the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region is comparable in population to the Outaouais, it’s an isolated northern area where there are not many options for health care. While Outaouais patients can travel to Montreal or Ottawa for emergencies, patients in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region don’t have the same options. 

“I will keep on hammering the fact that we are under budgeted by, apparently, about $180 million a year,” Bonneville continued, “So basically, Santé Québec is putting a gun to the head of CISSSO, and they’re saying, ‘You need to do it.’”

Working conditions not ideal, but necessary

Dr. Bonneville told the Low Down that although he is the most senior member of staff at the Gatineau Hospital, he doesn’t expect seniority perks like weekends off or preferred shifts. As a doctor who has taken the Hippocratic Oath, he said he’s aware of the region’s crisis and will do anything he needs to do to help. 

“I still do weekends. I still do holidays. I worked all of New Year’s week, evening shifts,” Bonneville told the Low Down. He said that during the budgeting exercise, CISSSO realized that it was overstaffing day shifts and more staffers will now be moved out of their “cozy day shift” and into an evening or night shift. While it may not be ideal for some, he said it’s the reality of the current landscape.

“I mean, if I am still doing it, I think everybody needs to contribute,” he said. “And you know, it’s nice to have a cozy job where you’re working day shifts, but that’s not the reality of healthcare.”

CISSSO CEO Marc Bilodeau did not respond to the Low Down’s request for comment by press time nor did the region’s MNA, Robert  Bussière. 

‘We’ve been abandoned’ Read More »

Petition urges Quebec to address the needs of Maria Hospital 

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

MARIA – A petition launched on February 12 on the National Assembly website is once again demanding the reconstruction of the emergency and intensive care units at the Maria hospital. 

Elected officials are adopting resolutions to urge the Quebec government to move forward once and for all on this issue. 

The wording of the petition states that in 2012, a clinical and real estate master plan had noted the major functional deficiencies in the facilities, particularly those of the emergency and intensive care units, and that the Gaspésie Integrated Health and Social Services Centre had prioritized the construction of the emergency and intensive care units at the Maria hospital; that the dilapidated state of the premises does not allow for the confidentiality of user files to be respected and that infection prevention is difficult and that the prefects of Avignon and Bonaventure recognize the importance and urgency of carrying out this construction project. 

The conclusion of the electronic document asks the Government of Quebec to register, on the Quebec Infrastructure Plan 2025-2035, the construction of the emergency and intensive care unit at the Maria hospital. 

The municipality of Maria adopted a resolution on February 10 in support of the petition. 

“We are hopeful that this is the right one. The premier confirmed to us in November 2023 that it would be registered and it was not done. We are hopeful that this time, it will be done,” says Maria mayor, Jean-Claude Landry. 

On February 12, the MRCs of Avignon and Bonaventure added their support by each adopting a resolution in favour of the project. 

“The MRC adopted a resolution in support to invite the population to sign the petition. It is a major infrastructure. It is a priority for the CISSS, a priority for the MRC d’Avignon,” mentions Prefect Mathieu Lapointe. 

“This is a file that we have been following for several years. The Premier, the Minister of Health, everyone is aware. We expected it to be included in the PQI last year. We were very disappointed as a region. We know that the government is in the budget process. It was obvious that we give our support and invite the population to sign to remind them of the importance for the Baie-des-Chaleurs to upgrade the infrastructure,” mentions his colleague from Bonaventure, Éric Dubé. 

The prefect is aware that Maria is in competition with other establishments “while things are cracking everywhere,” illustrates Mr. Dubé. 

According to him, it could cost between $150 million and $200 million to rebuild the emergency and intensive care units, a structure that could be recovered in the future if a new hospital were to be built. 

The current emergency department was inaugurated in 1972. 

This debate has been ongoing for quite some time, not only for this component, but to rebuild the entire hospital which has been in operation since 1952. 

The latest evaluations suggested that a renovation of the current hospital would cost $330 million and the work would be spread over 15 years. On the other hand, a new hospital centre would take half as long to build, but it is estimated at $390 million. 

In 2021, it was mentioned that the new hospital would have more beds in order to eventually repatriate patients from Avignon-Ouest who are treated in Campbellton, New Brunswick. Premier François Legault was informed of the situation during a visit to Carleton-sur-Mer in July 2021. 

In June 2018, the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS Board of Directors adopted a resolution for a new centre, an idea that dates back to before the entity was even created, at the time of the CSSS de la Baie-des-Chaleurs. 

Petition urges Quebec to address the needs of Maria Hospital  Read More »

Budget reductions: No positions cut at the CISSS 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – According to the three main unions representing healthcare workers in the Gaspé Peninsula, contrary to what is happening in other Integrated Health and Social Services Centres (CISSS) and Integrated University Health and Social Services Centres (CIUSSS) across the province, the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS has not cut any jobs as of yet. 

“Currently, the CISSS is not there yet. We are keeping our eyes open, but we are having discussions to see how we can be effective in managing the workforce, in compliance with the applicable collective agreements,” says Pier-Luc Bujold, President of the Eastern Quebec Nurses, Auxiliary Nurses and Respiratory Therapists Union. 

While no jobs have been cut, staffing shortages remain a significant issue, particularly in obstetrics. “This is not due to budgetary restrictions or directives from Santé Québec. This existed before Santé Québec,” notes the union representative. 

The challenge is to have enough staff to maintain activities in the emergency rooms and the use of external workers is necessary to keep all user services operational. 

“We are talking with the CISSS to see how to gradually reduce while respecting the teams in place. Our goal has always been to eradicate the independent workforce while avoiding service reductions,” emphasizes Mr. Bujold. 

A few nurses have left the agencies to join the CISSS workforce. The Gaspé network must free itself from the independent workforce by October 2026 at the latest. 

The Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), which represents laboratory technicians, radiology technicians, public health workers and the Youth Protection Department, has also reported no job losses within its members 

“There has been no announcement of job cuts by the CISSS management. We have requested a meeting with the CEO and the director of human resources to inform us,” says the union’s regional spokesperson, Jenny Tardif. 

However, many departments represented by the APTS are also experiencing staff shortages. “We are already overdrawn. When we talk about youth centres, psychologists, nuclear medicine that is on life support, it is extremely difficult to cut people when we are already in a restricted position to offer service to the population,” notes Ms. Tardif. 

The APTS is monitoring what is happening in Lower Saint Lawrence while there is talk of closing the emergency rooms in Mont-Joli and Trois-Pistoles during the evenings and weekends. Discussions have already been held for the emergency services of the CLSCs of Paspébiac, Grande-Vallée and Murdochville. 

“We will monitor what is happening. It is essential that the population has access to these services. The population must be aware and monitor new developments because they are the ones who will suffer service cuts if necessary,” warns the union spokesperson. 

On the CSN side, which mainly represents support and administrative staff, union representatives, no job cuts have been reported either. 

For the current fiscal year, the use of independent labour to maintain services alone represents 400,000 hours of work and costs between $25 million and $30 million. 

So far, the CISSS has successfully hired 28 agency workers into permanent positions. 

Budget reductions: No positions cut at the CISSS  Read More »

CAQ MNAs defend Quebec’s budget cuts

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula’s Coalition Avenir Québec Members of the National Assembly are defending the budget cuts requested by the Quebec government in a mission to reduce the province’s deficit of $11 billion. 

The topic was debated in their report on the fall parliamentary session in Quebec City. 

The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre was asked to reduce its budget by $40 million, while the School Service Centres received a request for an overall reduction of $200 million, in addition to the one concerning capital expenditures earlier this year. 

The Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin, notes that the budgetary situation dictates the decision. “We have a difficult budgetary situation. At some point, we have no choice but to do a rigorous exercise and say, no more cost overruns. We ask you to respect your budget,” she mentions in a review interview. 

Her colleague from Gaspé echoes the same sentiment. “There is no cut necessarily, but a request for respect and rigour. We hope that we will get there and good collaboration between stakeholders is necessary to get there,” adds Stéphane Sainte-Croix. 

The Bonaventure MNA mentions that the project to rebuild the emergency room and intensive care department at Maria Hospital is a path full of obstacles, but the file remains her priority for next year. 

She notes, in the last session, the $50 million invested on Highway 132, the $25 million on the Petit Pabos River bridge in Chandler, the $30 million on the English school in New Carlisle, and investments at the Bioparc. The MNA wanted to highlight the four medals awarded to four students from the Antoine-Bernard school in Carleton-sur-Mer after winning a culinary competition in Paris in July. 

“Young people in our riding are even more interested in cooking and food autonomy, in developing skills. I wanted to recognize that,” says Ms. Blouin. 

The Gaspé MNA wanted to highlight the work done by Jean Lapointe, who has been fighting for a decade for the establishment of hemodialysis services in the Gaspé Peninsula, who gave him a petition with 10,000 names this fall to demand a nephrologist in the Gaspé Peninsula. 

“The Commission (of Health and Social Services) will take up this at the beginning of the winter 2025 session. We will pay particular attention to the rest of the work. I am very happy to have carried out this project,” says Mr. Sainte-Croix. 

Among other issues, the tightening of admissions of foreign students should not have an impact on the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles. According to Mr. Saint-Croix, the measure mainly targets urban institutions. 

In fisheries, the sector is not in its first crisis, but the recent aid to equip fishermen for the redfish fishery is a positive step forward. 

In wind power, with the recent challenges at LM Wind Power in Gaspé, the MNA is aware of the situation. 

Compliance with international trade agreements will dictate the path forward, but he remains convinced that the industry can benefit from it. 

CAQ MNAs defend Quebec’s budget cuts Read More »

School board to cut nearly $1M from budget

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative

A local school board commissioner says that it will be impossible to cut nearly $1 million from its budget without affecting students. 

Chelsea Elementary school board commissioner Caryl Green told the Low Down that the province’s Ministry of Education has ordered the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) to chop $960,000 from its budget by March 31, 2025 – without affecting students. 

“It is concerning, because we have to make cuts with no direct impact on students, but everything we do has an impact on our students,” said Green. “The impacts could touch Indigenous education, support for rural schools and even the extra resources for schools with high socio-economic needs.”

The cuts are part of wider provincial austerity measures that will see $200 million cut from the education system. Green said the cuts represent 0.6 per cent of the WQSB budget. 

Other schools in the Outaouais – including French school service centres – will also see cuts. The Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO) board will be forced to reduce its expenses by $2,164,556.08. 

Green said commissioners aren’t sure yet where the cuts will come, however she did say that a number of portable buildings that were planned for Chelsea school will no longer happen. Green said the current board hiring freeze won’t help either. 

“This is just for the fiscal year, and then there’ll be a new budget in April from Quebec,” said Green. “But certainly, education has taken a big, big hit.”

School board to cut nearly $1M from budget Read More »

Capital expenditures: $5M cut at the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

 GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) is facing a significant budget cut, reducing its funding for infrastructure maintenance and improvements from $24 million to $15 million this year. This follows similar reductions at the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles and the school service centres. 

“For the past five or six years, we’ve had our foot on the accelerator and we have done a lot of renovations and upgrades because the budgets were available. We have a good team in the technical department and we were able to take advantage of room for maneuvering that was not used in other establishments,” says President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Pelletier. 

The Gaspé Peninsula CISSS carried out several transformations because its team was very efficient, which was recognized by the Ministry of Health, according to Mr. Pelletier. This was an advantage that the regional network had over others across Quebec. 

However, the room for maneuvering is no longer available. “We have to slow down and restrict ourselves to our annual plan without being able to get ahead of anything else. We have work started in 2023 that should last two years. In 2024-2025, we had a program and now we have to balance the budget with provisions that have disappeared.  There  are projects in the program that will have to be delayed,” notes Mr. Pelletier. 

All institutions within the health network are affected. “Here, we will go with the most urgent,” he says. 

This reduction in funding comes amid similar cuts announced in other government sectors. For example, the region’s school service centres are seeing a $7.7 million cut from their capital budgets for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. 

The René-Lévesque School Service Centre is the most affected with a $6 million cut, seeing the envelope go from $16.6 million to approximately $10 million this year. 

Like the CISSS, the school service centre must not only review the work planned for the coming year, but also for the next five years, prioritizing projects that have an impact on health and safety and the sustainability of buildings. 

At the Chic-Chocs School Service Centre, the reduction is $1.7 million. 

The Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles also faces significant cuts. Initially expecting $7.8 million for 2024-2025, it was surprised to find its funding capped at $2.2 million until March 31, 2025. When factoring in specific project funds, a total of $4.6 million is now authorized. 

The Cegep director, Yolaine Arseneau, was worried because the spending cap meant that the institution had no room to maneuver if an event occurred that was not anticipated, such as a leaking roof or a furnace that failed. 

Capital expenditures: $5M cut at the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS Read More »

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