Forget bilingual status for hospitals, we want access to Ontario care, western Quebecers say

Michael Smith has not slept through the night for several weeks.

The resident of Kipawa, a small Quebec village near the Ontario border, sits upright in pain, his arm in a sling, waiting for a call that hasn’t come.

After a snowmobile accident on March 1, Smith went to the emergency department in the nearby town of Temiskaming, where doctors told him he needed an ultrasound to assess internal damage.

Waiting time: Four months.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with my arm,” he said. “I’m in constant pain…and I’m just waiting.”

Weeks later, he still doesn’t have a diagnosis — and no idea whether he’ll make a full recovery.

“I’m self-diagnosing at the moment,” he said. “But the worst part is not knowing”

As the health authority in Quebec’s Abitibi-Témiscamingue region is pushing for official bilingual status for its southern health facilities to improve access for English speakers, residents say major access issues stem from a policy change implemented last year that has hindered access to health care in Ontario.

For years, many people relied on hospitals in nearby North Bay, Ontario for quick access to tests, specialists and follow-up care. But cross-border access has been cut off, forcing patients to seek services within Quebec and often hours away.

This change is the result of a change in Quebec’s billing policies. As of August 1, 2025, the province – through regional health authorities such as the CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue – ceased to act as an intermediary between Quebec’s public health insurance board and doctors for medical services provided by Ontario doctors.

Officials say the move is intended to harmonize interprovincial practices and ensure responsible use of public funds.

Smith says the changes have strained an already stressed system.

“The ultrasound should be on the same day or within a few days,” he said. “Not after a month.”

‘They did not consider the human aspect’

Gerard Whissell, a retired resident and municipal councilor in Kipawa, says the closure of the Ontario health care corridor has had knock-on effects throughout the community, especially for older residents.

“I had a urologist in North Bay. It was a 45-minute drive,” Whissell said. “Now I have to go to Rouen-Noranda for a 15-minute appointment – ​​that’s about two and a half hours.”

The extra distance is not only inconvenient but also expensive. Travel expenses, overnight stays and vacation time add up quickly and government reimbursements often fall short, he said.

Whissell recently accompanied his 87-year-old mother to an appointment in Val-d’Or, a trip that required an overnight stay.

“My expenses were about $600,” he said. “He probably got half of it back.”

Beyond the financial burden, he says the travel itself can be physically taxing.

“An elderly person can’t handle four or five hours on the road,” he said. “They’re already under stress with their health and now they have to deal with that too.”

The whistle also raised questions about how the decision to eliminate the corridor was made.

“They didn’t consider the human aspect,” he said. “People in the middle of treatment, people waiting for surgery – none of that was taken into account.”

In a statement to CBC News, CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue said it has the capacity to meet the needs of the region and that urgent diagnostic requests – those requiring care within three to 10 days – are handled within the recommended timelines. However, it is acknowledged that less urgent examinations may be delayed, with waiting times varying depending on the type of service.

The health authority also pointed to a temporary measure introduced in January that allowed some residents of Temiskaming, Kipawa and Kebowek to seek care in Ontario, provided they notify CISSS in advance. Officials say the measure is meant to help document demand while a long-term solution is developed in collaboration with the Quebec government and regional partners.

But Whissell says some patients trying to navigate that temporary authorization have been unsuccessful. He says some Ontario hospitals are reducing the number of Quebec patients until a formal agreement is reached.

He says the uncertainty is leading some residents to consider leaving the area altogether.

Mayor says language is not a problem

Meanwhile, health officials in Abitibi-Témiscamingue are seeking official bilingual status for their facilities in Témiscamingue and Kipawa — a move aimed at improving access for English-speaking residents.

But Kipawa Mayor Norman Young says that, although access to the language is important, “that’s not the thing people are complaining about.”

“We’ve never really had a problem with language here,” Young said.

He says loss of access to Ontario health services is the region’s most pressing challenge.

“It has created havoc,” he said.

Young says his own follow-up care was also delayed.

“I was scheduled to be seen in six weeks,” he said. “It took about four months.”

While he supports the push for bilingual designation, he says it risks ignoring more pressing gaps in care.

“I’m pleased we’re moving toward bilingual services,” Young said. “But there are more important issues that need attention in order to provide decent health care.”

For residents like Smith, a solution feels urgent.

“There is no short-term solution other than allowing people here to access health care in Ontario again,” he said.

Meanwhile, he says, uncertainty is becoming part of daily life.

He describes standing outside with a neighbor who was injured months ago and is still waiting for an MRI.

“He’s got a cane, I’ve got a sling,” Smith said. “We’re just standing there wondering what’s going on.”