Quebec releases funding for phase two of renovation at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital

The Quebec government has released $300 million in funding for the second phase of renovation work needed at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital.

According to the Journal de Montreal, the information was released in a meeting between the Quebec health minister and hospital officials on Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement sent to CityNews, Quebec’s health minister Sonia Bélanger said “I attended a very productive working meeting at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital with all the partners involved. For several weeks now, we have said that the funds needed to begin the preparatory work are available. Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital is a leading hospital, essential to the Montreal region and to all of Quebec. This is an important project for the government.”

The CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, which the hospital is part of, confirmed the meeting and said in an email to CityNews “We are pleased with the very constructive discussions.”

A call for tenders is expected to be issued in May, and the plans should be made public by the next provincial elections in the fall.

Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital has repeatedly made headlines for issues linked to its aging infrastructure.

The Coalition HMR, which speaks for employees of the hospital, issued a press release stating they welcome the news with skepticism, following setbacks by the government.

“While renovation work is underway on one side, cuts are being made on the other. We need to be consistent: we can’t move forward and backward at the same time. If the cuts aren’t stopped soon, the project to renovate and expand Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital will be reduced to nothing more than a partial, incomplete project. The government must confirm that the cuts have ended and that the project will officially be ready to move to the implementation phase in its current form,” said Dr. Marc Brosseau in the press release. He is a pulmonologist and intensive care specialist, and president of the CMDPSF of the CIUSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

“The relationship of trust with the government has been broken, and until the excavator is actually digging, we will have doubts about the completion of this project, which is nonetheless vital for patients,” states Denis Cloutier, President of the Union of Health Care Professionals of East Montreal (FIQ SPS ESTIM).

Éric Clermont, president of the Union of Workers of the CIUSSS de l’Est de Montréal (CSN), adds that this announcement should have been made a year ago. “The delays are attributable solely to political decisions.”