A Parti Québécois (PQ) government would abolish Santé Québec to invest more in direct care for the population. The PQ estimates that this would save at least $40 million per year, but it has not provided details on the cost of the transition. “I am committed to achieving savings of $40 million, but according to our estimates—given that there are currently four overlapping levels of decision-making, namely the minister, ministry officials, Santé Québec, and the CISSSs and CIUSSSs, we believe we could achieve savings of up to $100 million,” said PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon at a press conference outside Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal on Friday morning. He wants to use the savings to strengthen front-line care and access to care through the CLSCs, as well as to reduce surgical waitlists. St-Pierre Plamondon declined to specify how much would be spent to abolish Santé Québec, focusing instead on the benefits once the transition is complete. “When we talk about the 40 million in savings we’re committing to, we’re factoring in the transition costs,” he clarified. Furthermore, the PQ will make another announcement during the campaign to explain its `plan to reduce bureaucracy’—that is, what would happen to the hundreds of civil servants at Santé Québec. “As for the details and how to proceed—given that this won’t be limited to Santé Québec—we’ll dedicate a full day to this issue,” said the party leader. He lamented that Santé Québec has failed to meet expectations. “We are indeed facing a bureaucratic monster. We must regain control over this state-owned corporation, and it must be held accountable for growth that is completely out of control,” argued Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon, referring to the organization’s rising number of employees. “A huge waste of time and resources,” says the minister. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon qualified his remarks by noting that not everything should be thrown out. “Santé Québec was working on a number of legitimate objectives and had made some progress; I’m referring in particular to the idea of achieving economies of scale in certain areas where possible, improved logistics and supply chain management, better performance indicators, and greater accountability—including the ability to compare the performance of each division—as well as the concept of a single employer,” he noted. These objectives will be pursued. “But within a framework where the minister will be accountable and will exercise control over resource allocation and the size of the bureaucracy,” added St-Pierre Plamondon. Health Minister Sonia Bélanger criticized the PQ leader’s announcement in a statement posted on X, asserting that abolishing Santé Québec would amount to “a massive waste of time and resources, with all the demoralization that would entail within the healthcare system.” “To suggest that we can simply abolish Santé Québec, recoup a few savings, and solve access to care with that is so simplistic that it’s almost dishonest. The entire population would lose out if the next few years were spent dismantling and rebuilding structures,” wrote Bélanger. St-Pierre Plamondon responded to Bélanger’s comments, which were read by a reporter during a press briefing. He criticized the CAQ for “having implemented numerous reforms to expand the size of government, even though it had promised exactly the opposite.” Santé Québec wants a meeting The PQ leader also lamented that Santé Québec was engaging in politics on the eve of the election campaign’s launch. “Proof that we’re dealing with a government within a government—what a coincidence—Santé Québec is playing politics, then sends out a press release about the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital on the very day we announced our press briefing on Santé Québec at Maisonneuve-Rosemont. 1/8... 3/8 “This isn’t normal,” he said. Santé Québec stated on Friday that it had no intention of commenting on the proposals put forward by the various political parties. “We remain focused on coordinating the network’s operations and delivering results for the public,” the organization said in a statement sent to The Canadian Press. Santé Québec President and CEO Geneviève Biron wishes to meet with St-Pierre Plamondon to highlight the program’s successes. In a letter addressed to him and sent on Thursday, Biron added that the meeting would be an opportunity to “correct certain misrepresentations.” Biron also suggested that Santé Québec needs time to “maintain the momentum of transformation” and demonstrate “the benefits over time.” St-Pierre Plamondon said he had not yet read the letter. He said he was open to meeting with Ms. Biron but asserted that he would not change his mind. He also noted that the PQ’s health spokesperson, Joël Arseneau, had met twice with Santé Québec, and the director was present. The leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Charles Milliard, commented on the idea of abolishing Santé Québec during a press conference in Lévis on Friday. “It’s just cut, cut, cut, without necessarily considering the consequences,” he said. “People want a doctor’s appointment; they don’t want a new organizational chart for Santé Québec,” argued Milliard. Santé Québec was created in 2024 and became the sole employer of staff in the health and social services network. January 23, 2025, marked the official transfer of all affected ministry staff to Santé Québec. A total of 894 positions were transferred. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 21, 2026.
