Government of Canada signs two bilateral agreements with Quebec to support initiatives to improve health care

March 27, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Health Canada

Quebecers deserve a health care system that provides them with timely access to health care services whenever and wherever they are needed, as well as the ability to age with dignity closer to home.

Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada’s Minister of Health, announced the signing of two bilateral agreements to invest more than $3.7 billion in federal funding to improve health care in Quebec. These agreements represent the first funding under the government’s commitment to invest $6.7 billion in Quebec over a ten-year period.

The Government of Canada will initially provide $2.5 billion to support Quebec’s Department of Health and Social Services’ 2023-2027 strategic plan.

Quebec has established 25 indicators and targets in its strategic plan, which are appended to the agreement, and will continue to make health results available to the public, including through it’s existing online Dashboard. Quebec will collaborate with the Canadian Institute for Health Information to promote the development, use and sharing of common indicators for its health and social services. This will enable the sharing of best practices and ensure continuous improvement of the health care system.

This plan will:

• Improve access to family health teams
  • Open new front-line clinics and add front-line professionals;
  • Develop the “Votre Santé” platform to make it easier to book appointments;
  • Introduce a helicopter medical transport service; and
  • Improve care for patients with rare or chronic diseases.
• Reduce surgical and diagnostic backlogs
  • Maintain the new approach developed for vaccination and screening, extending its scope to other front-line services; and
  • Update the emergency measures plan and the supply of personal protective equipment.
• Accelerate the digital shift in the healthcare network, to finalize the creation of an easy-to-use interface for patients and healthcare professionals. This transition will be piloted in two facilities, before being rolled out across the entire network.
• Strengthen mental health and social services
  • Enhance support for community organizations working in health and social services;
  • Increase mental health, homelessness and addiction services;
  • Create new respite care spaces for parents of disabled children; and
  • Strengthen care and services for troubled youth.

In addition, the Government of Canada will contribute close to $1.2 billion to support Quebec’s five-year action plan to help people age with dignity close to home, with access to home care or care in a safe long-term care facility. This plan will:

• Improve access to home and community care
  • Offer increased support to community groups and social economy companies that provide home care services; and
  • Increase the availability of service hours for long-term, short-term and palliative home care.
• Improve safety and quality of life for residents of long-term care facilities
  • Offer housing adapted to the needs of seniors for a quality living environment;
  • Support the deployment of seniors’ homes and alternative housing; and
  • Care for seniors and their caregivers by offering free access to shingles vaccination.

Quebec’s health care system is based on the principles of universality, accessibility, comprehensiveness, portability and public management. Canada’s and Quebec’s departments of Health are committed to measuring and reporting the progress of collective and government-specific objectives towards their citizens.

The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize the importance of supporting health data infrastructure, including data collection and public reporting. This will improve the transparency of results, help manage public health emergencies, and ensure that individuals can access their own health information, which will be shared among health care workers in all health care settings.

The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize the right of Indigenous peoples to receive health care services that are appropriate and adapted to their needs, in a spirit of reconciliation. This is why they are committed to improving health care services for all residents of the province, especially by addressing the needs of underserved and disadvantaged populations.