The Government of Québec grants $6.8 million for the creation of a residential and long-term care centre in Wendake

WENDAKE, QC, June 18, 2018 – Today, as part of efforts to give Quebecers with decreasing independence better access to residential and long-term care centres (CHSLD), Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services, along with Geoffrey Kelley, Minister responsible for Native Affairs, and Véronyque Tremblay, MNA for Chauveau and Minister for Transport, announced that funding of $6.8 million would be granted to the Conseil de la Nation huronne-wendat (CNHW) to finance the construction of a 24-bed CHSLD intended for members of the Wendake community.

This 24-bed CHSLD construction project is part of Projet Tortue, an initiative of the CNHW to create a centre where a wide variety of health and social services will be offered. The CHSLD is the second phase of this project, following the construction of the health centre in 2014, which was funded by the federal government. In terms of funding, besides the $6.8 million from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (MSSS) for the construction work on the CHSLD, a recurring maximum annual sum of $1.2 million will be granted for the operation of the facility.

Quotes:

Although it is the jurisdiction of the federal government, our support for this project shows that our government wants to provide the best access possible to CHSLD services for the entire population. We are thus ensuring that the Wendake community can benefit from these services on their own land, and that in-patients can receive the care to which they are entitled, while remaining close to their families, in their own area.  We will keep an annual account to be reimbursed by the federal government.

– Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services

I am very pleased that our government is supporting this Wendake community project. We are sensitive to the needs of people facing declining independence and, thanks to this new CHSLD, the Huron-Wendat people will now be able to receive important services in the community where they have spent their entire lives, in a way that respects their identity and culture. Seniors play a central role in the transmission of traditions, cultures and customs, so it is important to give them an environment that promotes the sharing of this cultural heritage for future generations. I applaud the work of the Conseil de la Nation huronne-wendat on this project, which will tangibly improve the quality of life of the region’s Indigenous people.

– Geoffrey Kelley, Minister responsible for Native Affairs

Projet Tortue has rallied the community of Wendake over the last years; it was therefore eagerly anticipated. This CHSLD construction project crowns these efforts, with the tangible support that we are providing. It’s a project that is close to my heart and on which I have worked very hard! Seniors will be able to stay in their communities, near their families. Members of the Huron-Wendat community can count on our government to meet their needs for health and social services as best as possible.

– Véronyque Tremblay, MNA for Chauveau and Minister for Transport

In the absence of intervention by the federal government, the Government of Québec took the lead to give seniors from the Huron-Wendat community access to high-quality long-term care, on their land. The only way we can provide greater justice for the Indigenous people of Québec is to change the way we work together. It is in this spirit that we have decided to proceed with the financing of this CHSLD, and we will do the necessary follow-up with the federal government to make sure it assumes the full financial responsibility under its jurisdiction.

– Jean-Marc Fournier, Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie

The Wendake community is facing the same issues as the rest of Québec and the Capitale-Nationale region, namely an ageing demographic and the need to adapt services accordingly. This project is a real win for the population, who will see increased accessibility to services for seniors. Today’s announcement confirms that we are committed to meeting this need and keeping residents near their families and with people from their area.

– Sébastien Proulx, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports and Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region

Key points:

• Currently, only the Residence Marcel-Sioui, which has 12 beds, is open to patients with decreasing independence in Wendake.
• The Government of Québec will send a letter to the federal government requesting the reimbursement of this financing, in keeping with its exclusive constitutional responsibilities towards Indigenous peoples on lands not covered by agreements.