Santé Québec: The Status Quo in Philanthropy
On December 9, 2023, the Quebec government adopted Bill 15, which will lead to the creation of Santé Québec. The establishment of this new entity will bring about many changes within the health network. Much has been said about the bill’s impact on hospital foundations, their governance and, more broadly, health-care philanthropy.
We would like, via this message, to provide you with accurate information on this subject.
Since the bill was tabled last March, a working group comprised of a number of representatives from health care foundations was created. Numerous meetings were held between this working group and government representatives, which resulted in changes being made to the sections of the proposed law that could have had an impact on philanthropy. It was a colossal task, but one that was necessary so that we can continue to carry out our work to support patient care, teaching, research, and innovation in our institutions with the same independence, the same scope and, above all, the same impact for the entire Quebec population.
Thus, the status quo in philanthropy, as announced by Minister Christian Dubé, has been maintained. Meaning that essentially:
- Foundations are, and will remain, independent and autonomous legal entities, with their own board of directors;
- Donations designated to an institution will remain directed to that institution and under no circumstances can they be used for purposes other than those identified by the donor;
- Past philanthropic assets and donations are protected;
- The executive director of each respective health-care establishment is responsible for identifying priority projects requiring philanthropic support and is accountable for their implementation.
Philanthropy is an essential pillar of health care, and our foundations will continue to play our central role in this regard, with the same rigour and independence.
At a time when the needs of health care are growing, and your generosity has never been more important, we can confidently confirm that the new legislation fully protects the autonomy of foundations and our donors.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
