Children's Clinic operator says Brunswick Medical Centre won't suffer the same fate
After the sudden closure of the Children's Clinic in Montreal last week, there are growing concerns about the future of another clinic operated by the same company.
The Brunswick Health Group runs a clinic of the same name -- the Brunswick Medical Centre -- in Pointe-Claire.
The clinic is a busy place, visited by roughly 300,000 patients a year. Despite this, its operator is deeply in debt.
"There's about $42 million of secured debt. And that's the main reason of their financial difficulty, is that they're not able to pay their debt," said Ayman Chaaban, a court-appointed insolvency trustee working to restructure the Brunswick Health Group.
He says a deal is in place with another operator to buy the Brunswick Medical Centre. The transaction is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
"That potential purchaser, basically, is going to take over and operate the clinic," Chaaban explained.
A source confirmed to CTV News that the buyer is ELNA Medical Group.
Unlike the Children's Clinic, the Brunswick Medical Centre is expected to stay open.
Chaaban stressed that despite Brunswick's heavy debt, this is not a bankruptcy.
"It's not a bankruptcy, it's a restructuring. Bankruptcy means liquidations, means there's no operations anymore here. We're talking more about a restructuring process," he said.
Vince Trevisonno, CEO of the Brunswick Health Group, says the clinic was hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic; with physicians helping out in hospitals, its revenues dropped -- and costs soared.
He's confident that, even after the sale of the clinic, its 300,000 patients won't have to find a new place for medical care.
'Disappointing' news about Children's Clinic
The Children's Clinic announced its closure on Thursday, to the surprise of many parents.
The clinic opened in 2015 to divert less complex patients away from the Montreal Children's Hospital.
For mother-of-three Julie Labrecque, the clinic was key to managing her children's health conditions, which require frequent follow-ups with doctors.
"It's very disappointing. It's really tough," she said. "And I know it's not just in pediatrics -- it's everywhere. Everyone's struggling with [health care]."
She feared the closure will lead to more lengthy ER visits to families with non-urgent cases.
"We call doctor when we have a problem, and it's nice to be able to go see them. So, not having that service is a little tough, and I can only imagine that the hospital is going to be even busier with this happening."
The Children's Clinic said it's working with doctors to help transition their practice to other locations.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
A look back on Alberta's record-breaking wildfire season: Preparing for potential challenges in 2024
By the end of the 2023 wildfire season in Alberta, 1,088 wildfires had burned more than 2.2 million hectares of land, and this year, the wildfire season is already in full swing.
Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
Craig Berube is the next head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta border: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.