CISSSO faces backlash for $216 M in private sector spending
Tashi Farmilo
Local Journalism Initiative
Published in the Pontiac Journal on May 7, 2025.
OUTAOUAIS – The Outaouais health authority (CISSSO) is spending over
$216 million a year on private sector services — a move unions criticize as harmful to the public system, while the agency defends it as necessary to ensure patient care during staff shortages and resource gaps.
CISSSO’s annual financial report shows a large portion of the spending goes toward
private service contracts, including specialized medical clinics, group homes, home care, and reimbursements for care provided outside the province. Another $17 million is spent on hiring independent workers like nurses and respiratory therapists when public staff aren’t available.
Union leaders say this level of private spending undermines the public health-care system and makes it harder to attract and keep qualified staff. “This is an organized dismantling of our public services,” said Alfonso Ibarra Ramirez, president of the Outaouais chapter of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN). “We’ve seen policies that encourage privatization and underfunding, and now we’re all paying the price.”
CISSSO claims the goal isn’t to privatize healthcare, but to maintain services when public resources are stretched. The region faces challenges like workforce shortages, wait lists, and limited operating space in hospitals — all of which make it harder to meet patient needs without external help.
“For example, we sometimes rent space and surgical teams from private clinics to
perform procedures we can’t currently do in-house,” said CISSSO spokesperson Qeren Boua. “These agreements help reduce wait times and ensure patients get the care
they need, especially those who don’t require hospital stays.”
Boua noted CISSSO has reduced its use of independent labour by nearly 50% in recent months, and continues to focus on recruiting staff locally and internationally while
investing in training for current employees.
The Quebec government passed legislation to end the use of independent health workers by 2026. CISSSO will be among the last regions to implement the change, but says it’s on track to meet the target.
Meanwhile, CSN called for the public system to be fully “weaned off” private sector reliance by May 1, 2025. In a press release, union leaders warned privatization increases costs for taxpayers and puts essential public services at risk.
“Everyone loses with subcontracting,” said Alain Smolynecky, president of the Outaouais health workers’ union. “We lose skilled workers to the private sector, and the public pays twice — through taxes and through private fees.”
