volunteers

 MARIA – The eight Volunteer Action Centres (CABs) in the Gaspé Peninsula are temporarily suspending their Volunteer Transportation Service for seniors aged 65 due to a shortage of funding. However the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) says it has offered $80,000 to maintain the service. 

“This temporary service cut is necessary due to a lack of funding. Requests continue to increase and this year, the CISSS de la Gaspésie has cut financial assistance to maintain it,” says CAB spokesperson and director of the Saint-Alphonse-Nouvelle Volunteer  MARIA – The eight Volunteer Action Centres (CABs) in the Gaspé Peninsula are temporarily suspending their Volunteer Transportation Service for seniors aged 65 due to a shortage of funding. However the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) says it has offered $80,000 to maintain the service. 

“This temporary service cut is necessary due to a lack of funding. Requests continue to increase and this year, the CISSS de la Gaspésie has cut financial assistance to maintain it,” 

Exceptionally last year, an additional emergency amount of $200,000 was offered to them to support their service, adding that the overall funding for the Community Organizations Support Program was even increased for the year 2024-2025. The situation has evolved over the past few months and the current financial situation does not allow for the same to be done this year. 

If the decision to suspend the service is maintained, the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS will do everything possible to mitigate the effects of this decision on the population. 

The CISSS invites users affected by the measure and who cannot find an alternative to contact the clinical worker responsible for their file. says CAB spokesperson and director of the Saint-Alphonse-Nouvelle VolunAction Centre, Nancy Val

In 2024-2025, CAB volunteers covered 477,000 kilometres, to accompany seniors to 4,871 medical appointments. 

“To maintain the expensive service, the CABs have had to restrict the offer in recent years, by limiting the number of transports to beneficiaries or refusing transportation outside the region. Our seniors do not have the means to absorb the bill 100%. We are asking the CISSS de la Gaspésie and Santé-Québec to have adequate funding. This is a more than essential service,” adds Ms. Valois. 

In 2023-2024, the CISSS provided $200,000 in funding. For 2024-2025, no funding has been granted, despite a request for $350,000, according to the CABs. The total cost of the service for the region’s CABs is $485,000. 

“During the meetings, one of their arguments was that. They are in budget cuts. They have $40.7 million to cut. We deduce that we are in these cuts,” says Ms. Valois. 

The decision specifically affects those aged 65 and over. “Because there are agreements with those 65 and under and there are reimbursements made with the local employment centre,” says Ms. Valois. 

“The aftermath will be renegotiated. But to ensure the service, we have restricted it. Maybe we will have to sit down together, the eight CABs, to see what we can do to keep it viable and offer the service to the community,” she says. 

“It is vital. Our population is aging. Caregivers do a lot. This support service, with transportation and a volunteer, is a valuable support. It is reassuring and they have no other means. We do it with a heavy heart,” says Ms. Valois. 

“We are asking for adequate funding to maintain the transportation escort service,” concludes Ms. Valois. 

The service was created in the late 1980s, with users paying between 30% and 50% of the pre-established rates. 

In response, the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS acknowledges the CABs’ decision, which they estimate will directly impact about sixty users. 

The CISSS would like to make it clear that the financial aid has not been cut. 

A responsible proposal from the CISSS was made to the CABs, offering $80,000 to help maintain the service. This offer remains on the table. ois.