MontrealThe federal government is investing $52 million to improve English-language health services in Quebec. The goal is to train bilingual staff, expand community networks and help English-speaking and allophone communities access care across the province.Funding aimed at training bilingual staff, helping improve access to careCBC News · Posted: Oct 15, 2025 6:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 16The funding to improve English-language health services in Quebec is coming from the federal government’s previously announced plan to promote and protect official languages in Canada. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)The federal government is stepping in to help improve English-language services in Quebec health care. “I’ve heard multiple times from my constituents that they’ve gone to receive health services and unfortunately have not been able to get answers or be understood,” said Peter Schiefke, MP for Vaudreuil. He said anglophone and allophone communities’ needs are currently not being met. Health Canada says it is investing $52 million in programs across the province until 2028. Of that, $20 million will go to McGill University to help train health-care workers in English. The rest will go to the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) which does outreach and advocates for English-speaking patients. “Everybody is having a hard time accessing service. So it’s just a double burden,” said Jennifer Johnson, CHSSN executive director. “There are 1.2 million English speakers in the province of Quebec. Many of them are off the island of Montreal.” The money is coming from the federal government’s plan to promote and protect official languages in Canada, announced in 2023. WATCH | Ottawa is investing in English-language health-care services in Quebec :Struggling to get health care services in English in Quebec? Ottawa is trying to helpAn MP from the Montreal area has announced a $52-million investment into education, outreach and advocacy with the goal of increasing the availability of health-care services in English in the province.The initiatives include better access to care through community health networks, language training for health and social service professionals, front-line staff and students, and efforts to recruit and retain bilingual professionals, according to a Health Canada news release published Wednesday. “The ability to communicate with one’s health-care provider in their own official language is essential to receiving safe and effective care,” said Sherry Romanado, MP for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, in the release. Quebec publishes new directive, clarifying old one, on use of English in health careRichard Walling is executive director of Jeffery Hale Community Partners, a charity focused on improving health and wellness for the English-speaking community in the greater Quebec City area. “The provincial government is doing what it has to do and this is extra money that comes in from the federal government to help the community sector,” he said. Sylvia Martin-Laforge heads TALQ, formerly known as the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN). She said federal investment for English-speaking Quebecers is “terrifically important in many sectors because there are gaps in services.” CBC News reached out to Quebec’s minister responsible for Canadian relations, Simon Jolin-Barrette, but did not hear back ahead of publication. Written by Isaac Olson, with files from Rowan Kennedy
Federal gov’t invests $52M to boost English health services in Quebec
