Quebec places three long-term care facilities under trusteeship

The Minister responsible for Seniors, Sonia Bélanger, has announced that three CHSLD Argyle facilities will be placed under trusteeship. In this photo, Minister Bélanger speaks at an event in Quebec City on Wednesday 8 May 2024. (The Canadian Press/Karoline Boucher)

Three facilities of the Argyle long-term care centre (CHSLD) are now under provisional administration, announced the Minister responsible for Seniors, Sonia Bélanger, who said she was 'concerned' about the situation in these centres.

As of Tuesday, the Argyle CHSLDs in Longueuil and Saint-Lambert, in Montreal's South Shore, will be administrated by the regional health boards Centres intégrés de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de la Montérégie-Est and de la Montérégie-Centre.

In Saint-Lambert, the CISSS will also manage the intermediate resource component.

The Pointe-Claire facility in Montreal's West Island will be managed by the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.

The CIUSSS will also administer the private seniors' residence component for this component.

The trusteeship could last up to 180 days but may be extended if necessary.

The ministry says it has been in communication with the CHSLD for several months now, but "the administration in place has not been able to achieve and maintain the various standards expected," it said in a press release.

"The government will not compromise on the health, safety and well-being of users. Trusteeship is a proven measure that allows us to rectify problematic situations," Minister Bélanger said.

In 2021, Le Devoir published an investigation into the CHSLD Argyle in Saint-Lambert, where residents, caregivers, and employees reported health and hygiene problems. The media outlet reported that these were 'recurring' problems.  

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 23, 2024.