Minister Announces $100 million Investment with Hôpital Montfort to Provide Health Services to CAF Members

Above image: Announced on March 20, 2024, at Hôpital Montfort, Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Mona Fortier, MP for Ottawa-Vanier, and Dominic Giroux, president and CEO of Hôpital Montfort and Santé Montfort were in attendance. Image courtesy of Department of National Defence.

Minister of National Defence Bill Blair announced earlier this year the extension of an agreement between the Department of National Defence and Hôpital Montfort to provide health services until 2032.

“Our Armed Forces members work incredibly hard to serve our country and to protect Canadians – and we have an obligation to provide them with quality health services,” stated Blair. “This renewed partnership with Hôpital Montfort will ensure that military personnel in the National Capital Region continue to receive a high standard of care.”

Announced on March 20, 2024, at Hôpital Montfort, Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Mona Fortier, MP for Ottawa-Vanier, and Dominic Giroux, president and CEO of Hôpital Montfort and Santé Montfort were in attendance.

Extended Six Years to 2032

According to the news release from the department, an agreement has been in place since 2003 to support health care services to CAF members in the National Capital Region (NCR). Through this agreement, both Canadian Forces Health Services Centre Ottawa and 1 Dental Unit Detachment Ottawa operate in Hôpital Montfort’s Wing D.

The current contract, originally set to expire in 2026, has been extended six years to 2032. The federal government is investing over $100 million to extend the contract, bringing the total estimated contract value to $361 million. After this initial extension until 2032, the contract may be further extended by four one-year option periods.

“We deeply value the strong and positive relationship between National Defence and Montfort,” said Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and MP for Orléans. “I know that Montfort’s ability to provide health care services in both official languages is incredibly important to my community. This investment will ensure the delivery of comprehensive health care for Canadian Armed Forces members and the 1.2 million Canadians that the hospital serves for years to come.”

 Hôpital Montfort Will Continue to Provide

As part of the agreement, Hôpital Montfort will continue to provide dedicated space for the DND/CAF health care team to deliver primary care, comprehensive dental care, mental health, physiotherapy, pharmacy, and limited specialist care to CAF members. Hôpital Montfort is also contracted to provide surgery, in-patient care, X-ray, specialized clinics, and laboratory services for the CAF.

During the contract review process with Santé Montfort, the Canadian Armed Forces identified the need to improve the provision of mental health care, leading to an expansion of the CAF footprint on-site. This includes enhancing mental health care services to ensure consistency with those offered in DND-administered clinics on bases and wings across Canada.

Mona Fortier, MP for Ottawa-Vanier, emphasized that Montfort is an important place not only for the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces but also for many families in the National Capital Region.

“Whether it’s for primary care, mental health care, or more, the doctors and health care workers at Montfort are there to help us when we need it most. As the local Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, I’m thrilled that today’s announcement of a renewed contract extension will ensure that the good health care at Montfort will continue for years to come.”

Named One of the World’s Top 1,000 Hospitals

Hôpital Montfort, Ontario’s Francophone academic hospital, serves 1.2 million people annually in Eastern Ontario and has been recognized for providing exemplary person-centred care in both English and French.

In 2022, Montfort achieved Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for the third time and became the first Francophone hospital to be designated a Best Practices Spotlight Organization (BPSO) by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO).

Since 2015, Hôpital Montfort  has ranked among Canada’s top 40 research hospitals through the activities of the Institut du Savoir Montfort, its knowledge institute. In 2019, Hôpital Montfort was named one of the world’s top 1,000 hospitals.

“Canadian Armed Forces members are part of the family at Montfort,” said Dominic Giroux, President and CEO, Hôpital Montfort and Santé Montfort. “We are delighted to renew this partnership, and to see the Centre’s mental health services enhanced.”