Feds hand Ste. Anne Veterans' Hospital over to province
Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc and federal Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blainey signed the document starting the Ste. Anne Veterans Hospital's transition from federal control to provincial management on April 27. The transfer would allow public long-term care patients to be cared for in the facility, thus freeing up room at the Lakeshore General Hospital, Jacques Cartier MNA Geoff Kelley said.
West Island Palliative Care Residence provides 14 new beds
The West Island Palliative Care Residence (WIPCR) inaugurated its new pavilion April 26, adding 14 beds to the nine that had been operating in the original residence in Kirkland for 10 years. The 14 new beds are located at Le Vivalis seniors' residence where the new Pavilion Stillview occupies the fourth floor in Pointe Claire. The expansion to 23 beds allowed WIPCR to conform to the norms recommended by the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services of one palliative-care bed per 10,000 residents.
Charest announces $15 million investment in Medtronic
Quebec Premier Jean Charest announced a $15 million contribution to U.S.-based company Medtronic CryoCath's $50 million project to expand its cryoablation technology factory in Kirkland and research centre in Pointe Claire. The $50 million investment would help consolidate 205 existing jobs and create 205 new ones.
Pearson shuts down Greendale Pre-K
The Lester B. Pearson School Board LBPSB shut down Greendale pre-kindergarten on May 7 after Quebec's Family Ministry ordered the board to do so based on "a number of conditions that were not satisfactory." LBPSB director general Bob Mills said the ministry cited inadequate security among other shortcomings in explaining its decision. The closure of the Greendale pre-K facility came about because of a complaint from a local day care, Pearson officials said at a hastily-arranged press conference at the board's Dorval offices.
Community centre project draws ire in Beaconsfield
The hiring of a specialized architect to oversee an architectural competition to determine the details of a new community centre made a lot of noise at the Beaconsfield council meeting of April 30. The idea did not please the packed house at city hall. Citizens asked why council was going ahead with a competition to determine the specifics of a community centre when there had not been a public consultation on the issue. It seemed to the public an exercise in futility to have an architectural contest when the city had apparently no idea what it wanted in terms of a community centre one citizen pointed out.
Centre Médical Brunswick gets GMF accreditation
Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc and Jacques Cartier MNA Geoff Kelley announced the accreditation of the Brunswick Medical Centre in Pointe Claire as a Groupe de Médecine de Famille (GMF) on May 25. Before the accreditation, doctors worked without the help of nurses. The GMF setting allows family doctors to take advantage of a friendlier environment to work with. West Island Health and Social Services Centre spokesperson Sandrine Charpentier hoped doctors would be capable of seeing more patients as a result.
