Quebec's Caregiver Reimbursement Announcement Met With Skepticism
Disability rights advocates in Quebec have expressed significant concerns about the provincial government's newly announced "Mieux chez soi" (better at home) program, despite acknowledging it represents a step forward in supporting family caregivers. While the initiative includes $107.2 million in funding with specific allocations for compensating those who care for loved ones at home, critics argue the announcement lacks crucial implementation details and comes alongside troubling healthcare reductions.
Funding Announcement and Immediate Concerns
At a recent news conference, Quebec's Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors and Caregivers, Sonia Bélanger, unveiled the comprehensive home care policy. The program includes an immediate allocation of $1.1 million for caregiver compensation, with plans to increase this to $22.2 million next year. Under the new framework, hourly compensation for family caregivers will rise from $20 to $21, and eligibility criteria will be expanded to include more individuals providing care to seniors and other family members.
"Enabling people to live at home means, first and foremost, recognizing their desire to remain in their own homes, close to their loved ones and rooted in their community," Bélanger stated during the announcement.
However, disability rights organizations have raised immediate red flags about transparency and practical implementation. Ella Amir, executive director of Allies in Mental Health (AMI) Quebec, voiced particular concern about the government's approach, noting that while one hand offers support to caregivers, the other continues to implement cuts across the healthcare system.
Contradictory Government Actions
"In one hand, they are taking, and in the other hand, they're removing. It's beyond me," Amir said, highlighting what she perceives as contradictory government actions. She pointed to recent healthcare reductions including thousands of health care worker hour cuts and proposed changes to physician payment structures that sparked widespread medical community protest until the government retreated in December.
Amir expressed particular worry about transparency in the new program's rollout, stating: "There was no transparency, and I'm afraid that there may be no transparency at this point too" with the implementation of the home care initiative.
The advocate cited specific examples of program cuts that could undermine caregiver support, including the recent decision by the MUHC Montreal General Hospital to end its choir program for psychiatry patients. While acknowledging this might be an institutional decision, Amir suggested that broader healthcare funding shortages threaten similar therapeutic programs that benefit both patients and their caregivers.
Financial Impact and Administrative Concerns
Steven Laperrière, general manager of disability rights group Regroupement des activistes pour l'inclusion au Québec (RAPLIQ), offered a tempered assessment of the financial impact on caregivers. "It's positive, but at the same time, it doesn't mean much at the end of the week in your pocket," he remarked, questioning whether the modest compensation increase would substantially improve caregivers' financial well-being.
Laperrière raised additional concerns about administrative overhead potentially diverting funds from frontline services. "Now you have the government who gave its directions. You have Santé Quebec, who is in charge of putting them in execution. And then you have the CLSC, who will be in charge of executing the service. That's a lot of people, that's a lot of salaries, that's a lot of money. I don't see how they'll get that done," he explained.
Workforce Challenges and Future Implications
The disability rights advocate also expressed skepticism about whether the new program could compensate for healthcare workforce losses resulting from the government's termination of the Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ) in November 2025. Laperrière noted that this program accounted for a significant proportion of licensed practical nurses in Quebec, and its elimination could create substantial staffing shortages.
"With the end of the PEQ, how many nurses will be affected and might have to leave Quebec?" he questioned. "Even if we lose 10 per cent of our workforce, even seven or eight per cent, it's going to be a disaster."
Laperrière emphasized the interconnected nature of caregiver support and healthcare worker retention: "We talk a lot about the people that receive home care services, and obviously that's the goal, to maintain them home. But we need to take care of our workers too. You know, we need to take care of them, and we need to make them feel that we need to value their work. And that question today was not, is not answered."
Cautious Optimism Amid Uncertainty
Despite these significant concerns, both advocates acknowledged the program represents progress compared to the status quo. Laperrière described it as "better than the status quo, which was going nowhere," while Amir recognized the government's public commitment to caregiver support as a positive development.
However, both emphasized the need for greater transparency and detailed communication about how the program will function in practice. Laperrière specifically called for more information about implementation details, echoing broader concerns within the disability rights community that the announcement, while symbolically important, lacks the concrete planning necessary to ensure meaningful support for Quebec's family caregivers.
The provincial government's additional allocations include expanding the Programme d'exonération financière en aide domestique (PEFSAD) to $21.3 million in 2025-2026 and $39.3 million the following fiscal year, plus $600,000 to support the Entreprise d'économie sociale en aide à domicile (EÉSAD) network. Whether these investments will effectively reach caregivers amid ongoing healthcare system challenges remains a pressing question for advocates and families across Quebec.
