Government of Canada improves access to health services for Anglophone minority communities in Quebec

MONTREAL, Oct. 15, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil--Charles-LeMoyne and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, and Peter Schiefke, Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil, on behalf of the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, announced more than $52 million in funding over five years to the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) and McGill University to improve access to health and social services professionals for Anglophone communities in Quebec. 

These investments will support innovative projects to improve health services in English in Quebec through the Official Languages Health Program (OLHP). Initiatives include increasing access to care through community health networks, providing language training for health and social services professionals, intake staff and students, as well as improving recruitment and retention of bilingual health professionals.

The Government of Canda will continue working with partners to improve access to health care services for everyone, including services in the official language of their choice.

Quotes

"Everyone in Canada should have access to health services in their official language of choice, regardless of where they live. When it comes to health care, a language barrier can lead to a life-or-death situation. This is why the Government of Canada is supporting projects that will improve access to health services for Francophones and Anglophones living in minority communities in Canada."

The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health

"Being able to speak with your health care provider in your own official language is essential to receiving safe and effective care. This investment reflects our commitment to supporting official language minority communities in receiving the health services they need, in the official language they understand best, no matter where they are in Canada." 

Sherry Romanado
Member of Parliament for Longueuil--Charles-LeMoyne and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

"Canada's official languages are more than just a means of communication--they're part of who we are. By supporting initiatives that improve access to health services in the official language of the person's choice, we're helping build a more inclusive and equitable health care system." 

Peter Schiefke
Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil

"Our two official languages are at the heart of our identity, uniting us from coast to coast to coast and making us stronger together. As a government, we are taking concrete action to ensure that Canadians--no matter where they live--can access health services in the official language of their choice. I am pleased that this funding will support projects that strengthen our bilingual identity, not only in Quebec but right across Canada."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages

"Access to health services in English remains a top priority for English-speaking Quebecers. The support provided by Health Canada to the CHSSN and its community partners is vital to improve access to health services for these communities. This funding strengthens the capacity of 23 community organizations and their networks to work collaboratively with public institutions, adapt services, and produce research that reflects the lived realities of our communities. It empowers local actors across Quebec to build meaningful connections between service providers and the English-speaking population--ensuring that needs are better understood and more effectively addressed."

Jennifer Johnson
Executive Director, Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN)

"We are delighted that Dialogue McGill and our partners can continue to serve the Québec public thanks to renewed funding from Health Canada. This funding allows Dialogue McGill to build on its longstanding strengths, providing support for health and psychosocial professionals, researchers, educators, and students in the province's health sciences and social services fields. We look forward to continuing to enhance communication and dialogue among the many stakeholders in our communities."

Carmen G. Loiselle, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator and Director, Dialogue McGill, McGill University

"Dialogue McGill's mandate is to increase capacity of bilingual health and psychosocial professionals in Québec's public system. Through federal government investment, Dialogue McGill's programs continue to address the evolving needs within Québec's health care and social services sectors. Dialogue McGill offers free English and French language training to public health institutions, student bursaries to retain qualified professionals in the province, and funds official language minority research to enhance access to public health and social services. This significant investment has real-world impact on Québec's professional-user interactions"

Jacqueline Vachon, M.Sc.,
Associate Director, Dialogue McGill, McGill University

Quick Facts

• The OLHP was launched in 2003 and receives funding through the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages. The Program supports non-profit organizations, post-secondary institutions and provincial and territorial governments that aim to improve access to health services for official language minority communities (OLMC) - Francophones living outside Quebec and English-speaking communities in Quebec.
• The "Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration" announced that, in addition to existing funding of $192.2 million over five years, Health Canada's OLHP will also receive $14.5 million over five years (for a total of $206.7 million over five years). This additional funding will support non-profit organizations, provincial and territorial governments and post-secondary institutions that serve OLMCs to train and retain bilingual health professionals, support health networking initiatives as well as innovative projects.
• Budget 2023 outlined the Government's plan to invest close to $200 billion over 10 years, including $46.2 billion in new funding to provinces and territories to strengthen Canada's public health care system. This includes $25 billion of funding through tailored bilateral agreements to meet the specific needs of each province and territory.
• The Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN)'s Community Health Network and Innovation Project will receive $32,285,000 over five years (2023-2028) and McGill University - Training and Retention of Health and Social Services Professionals will receive $20,673,314 over five years (2023-2028).

Associated Links

• Official Languages Health Program
• Backgrounder: Government of Canada improves access to health services for Anglophone minority communities in Quebec

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)

Contacts: Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries, 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709