Quebec announces $995k to help English-speaking Quebecers navigate the health system
Sophie Demers
The province has provided Réseau communautaire de santé et de services sociaux (RCSSS) with $995,000 in funding with the objective to support English-speaking residents navigate the health care system. This was announced on April 2 by Christopher Skeete, Minister of International Relations and Francophonie, Minister responsible for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers, and Minister responsible for the Fight against Racism.
“Access to health care and social services must be equitable for all Quebecers,” said Minister Skeete. “With this pilot project, we are taking concrete action by offering services tailored to the needs of Quebec’s English-speaking communities. I welcome the support of the RCSSS organization, which has all the expertise necessary for the success of this project.”
The funding will support the RCSSS’s Accompanying Guides for English-speaking patients (GAP) project. The project started in Quebec City with one patient support guide that aided English-speaking patients navigate the primarily French health-care system. The project aims to bridge the language gap and create better health outcomes for patients.
The funding will expand the program by adding 11 patient support guides, three full-time and eight part-time, for nine regions across Quebec. These guides will accompany English-speakers through the health care system and ensure all information is understood by both clinician and patient. GAP is a pilot project that will take place over the next year ending on March 31, 2027.
“The RCSSS is extremely proud of this announcement, which builds on eight years of expertise developed in Quebec City in patient support and will now extend the program to eight other regions of the province,” said Jennifer Johnson, Executive Director of RCSSS. “We have witnessed, on the ground, the concrete effect that adapted support can have when language barriers complicate access to care and social services. Studies are clear: these barriers can affect the quality of care and lead to less favourable health outcomes. With these additional resources, our patient support guides will be able to intervene in a personalized way to mitigate these barriers, while strengthening the essential links between patients and the health-care system.”
Quebec acknowledges that anglophones face barriers in accessing health and social services in the current system. They also face difficulties accessing and understanding medical information in their language which can lead to misunderstandings.
“Both official languages are at the heart of our identity and represent a great strength for Canada. Language should not be a barrier to health. And through this investment, we are taking concrete action to ensure that all Canadians have access to safer, quality health care and services, including English-speaking communities in Quebec,” said Marc Miller, federal Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages.