CISSSO sees budget cut scaled back, but challenges remain
Mélissa Gélinas
Local Journalism Initiative
Published in the Pontiac Journal on June 18, 2025.
OUTAOUAIS – On May 27, Santé Québec released the new budget for Quebec’s 30 hospital centres. Budget cuts, now set at $925 million, will be distributed based on average operating costs across the province.
Facilities with higher costs, such as Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre in Montreal, the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale and the CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre, will bear the brunt of the reductions.
The CISSS de l’Outaouais is among the less-affected regions, with its required savings reduced to $45 million, down from the $91 million it had previously been asked to cut. Still, the region’s health centres will face ongoing challenges.
Jean Pigeon, spokesperson for SOS Outaouais, warned that remote areas like Pontiac will feel the impact more acutely. “These cuts make it even harder to attract and retain staff, to maintain local care, and to ensure stable services for the population,” he said.
According to Pigeon, Outaouais is not treated the same as other Quebec regions.
“To optimize without compromising care, we need to review some administrative processes and have specific tools to address the unique realities of our border region,” he added.
Currently, the areas most affected by budget cuts are logistics, maintenance and administration. “We’re concerned other services could be impacted if the budget pressure stays the same,” Pigeon said.
The CISSSO has said that staffing levels and the organization’s structure will remain unchanged, noting that previous measures had already addressed the last financial period’s $60 million target.
According to Camille Brochu-Lafrance, communications advisor with CISSSO, concrete steps are being taken—especially in Pontiac—to address the region’s situation. These include strengthening local partnerships for recruitment, supporting housing access for personnel, and boosting regional promotion. “We’re also focused on tailoring working conditions to local realities and improving team stability,” she said. “Maintaining quality care and services for the Pontiac population remains at the heart of our efforts.”
Brochu-Lafrance added that the key to achieving the $45 million in savings will be through better financial resource management. “Budget management is critical, and we are in ongoing discussions with Santé Québec as part of our optimization efforts,” she said.
