Health-care workers warn that centralization, budget cuts, and staff shortages could undermine the public system.
Health-care workers in Quebec are raising alarms over the government’s creation of Santé Québec, warning that the province’s new health authority is already sowing confusion and could ultimately worsen patient care while leading to increasing privatization of health services.
On Monday, dozens of health-care workers rallied outside the downtown Montreal office of Santé Québec. Organized by the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), which represents about 65,000 workers, the protest called on the government to address their mounting concerns.
“We’re still in the dark,” said Caroline Letarte-Simoneau, an APTS representative, adding that they are worried about how the new system will function and how budget cuts will impact patient care.
Alexandra Boisrond, president of the APTS for Montreal’s West Island, echoed her concerns and said that an increasingly strained public system will only encourage more people and workers to look to the private sector.
“There’s an increasing worry that health care is going to become more and more private,” she said, adding that it feels like Quebec is moving closer to the U.S. model of health care.
Critics, however, have argued that the changes may exacerbate an already dire crisis in the public system.
Biron, formerly the head of Biron Health Group, already sparked concern in the summer that she may manage Santé Québec with a business-first approach.
Health-care workers remain worried. Letarte-Simoneau and Boisrond described Quebec’s system as being already on the brink, with temporary positions created to reduce waitlists being slashed and long-term vacancies remaining unfilled. Meanwhile, those who stay are increasingly burned out, they said.
“When you already need 20 people to run a service but only have 10, losing even one person is catastrophic,” said Boisrond. “We’re being asked to do more with less, and it’s unsustainable.”
“And this isn’t just about us,” Boisrond continued. “When people are told they need to wait months for surgery or treatment, they’ll turn to private clinics. Every time that happens, it weakens the public system even more. It’s almost by design.”
Isabelle Audet, a spokesperson for the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS-CSN), said they share the fear that Quebec’s health system could become increasingly privatized. She warned that repeated attempts to centralize health services over the past 30 years have consistently weakened the public system.
“Each time this happens, the private sector surges,” she said. “The government is freezing hiring and cutting public sector jobs, showing a clear preference for privatization.”
Audet said the FSSS-CSN plans to hold a demonstration against Santé Québec on Dec. 10.
Beyond fears of privatization, APTS workers argued that centralization will disconnect decision-makers from local realities, with now even routine tasks like payroll have become a source of anxiety.
“When there’s one payroll department for the entire province, minor issues turn into major delays,” said Johanne Gouskos, a social care counsellor with 25 years of experience.
“How can someone in an office downtown understand the needs of a CLSC in LaSalle or a hospital on the West Island?” Boisrond asked.
This isn’t the first time complaints about the health authority being disconnected from the realities of local clinics.