Quebec Premier Francois Legault’s government unveiled a plan on Tuesday to permit private entrepreneurs to construct two “mini-hospitals” as promised in his last election campaign.
The Ministry of Health issued two calls for interest concerning two facilities – a pediatric centre in Quebec City and a geriatric hospital in Montreal.
Among the advocates praising the decision is the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), which called the move a sober approach to the province’s healthcare issues.
“With these calls for interest, the government is showing that it has understood the health system’s problems, and the fact that it will take more inventiveness, rather than just more money, to solve them,” said MEI economist Emmanuelle B. Faubert.
“By going ahead with the mini-hospital project, the government will grow the treatment capacity, which should reduce wait times.”
In announcing the decision to greenlight the project, Legault is following through on his 2022 election campaign promises.
“This is a first step and a first milestone that has been crossed to make this project a reality,” said the Minister of Health’s parliamentary assistant, Youri Chassin.
Private operators have yet to be decided but they will be charged with building and maintaining the hospitals.
Care at the clinics will be specifically for non-emergency treatment and will be free of charge as it is covered by the provincial healthcare plan.
“Access to health care in a timely manner is more important to Quebecers than the administrative structure of the care facility,” said Faubert.
“International examples show us that mixed solutions work, and the Legault government is right to emulate them.”
An Ipsos poll recently commissioned by the MEI found that 75% of Quebec residents want the healthcare system decentralized and 67% want options to access independent healthcare services.
