Quebec expands incentive bonuses for Medical Imaging Technologists in Outaouais
Tashi Farmilo
In a strategic move to address staffing shortages and maintain essential medical imaging services, Quebec has announced the expansion of incentive bonuses for medical imaging technologists to include all healthcare facilities in the Outaouais region, encompassing the Wakefield and Shawville hospitals.
The announcement, which was shared on social media Thursday by Gatineau provincial Member of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) Robert Bussière, comes at a critical time for the region. Despite the excitement generated by the news, the Alliance of Professional and Technical Staff in Health and Social Services (APTS) has clarified that the agreement is still under negotiation and has not yet been finalised. The union has refrained from making further comments at this time.
Initially, at the end of May, the APTS had reached a tentative agreement with the Quebec government to provide annual bonuses of $22,000 to medical imaging technologists at Gatineau and Hull hospitals. This measure aimed to mitigate the risk of service disruptions due to a severe manpower shortage. However, the scope of the initiative has now been broadened.
Robert Bussière, Member of the National Assembly for Gatineau, expressed his satisfaction with the expansion. He announced, "I am very pleased to announce that our government has agreed with the APTS union to expand medical imaging technologist premiums across Outaouais facilities, including Wakefield and Shawville hospitals. The amount of these premiums amounts to $18,000 for the two hospital centres. I applaud the work of my colleagues from the caucus: Sonia LeBel, Member of the National Assembly for Champlain, Mathieu Lévesque, Member of the National Assembly for Chapleau, Christian Dubé, Member of the National Assembly for La Prairie, the Minister of the Treasury Council Mathieu Lacombe, Member of the National Assembly for Papineau, and the Minister of Health Suzanne Tremblay, Member of the National Assembly for Hull. With this agreement, we thus ensure the stability of the medical imaging workforce for the entire greater region of the Outaouais."
Bussière further elaborated on the government's efforts since announcing potential service disruptions last April. He highlighted the substantial financial incentives offered to full-time technologists across the region, including $22,000 to those at the hospital centres in Hull, Gatineau, and Papineau, and $18,000 to those at other institutions, including Maniwaki, Wakefield, Shawville, the Mini Emergency of the Petite Nation of St-André-Avelin (CLSC Petite-Nation), and CLSC Mansfield-et-Pontefract.
Jane Toller, Warden of the MRC Pontiac, shared her reaction in a recent interview. "I learned about this through the CPO, which is the Organization of Wardens in the Outaouais. I was delighted because my concern had been knowing that the government had broken for the summer, that we would see no change until September. And I felt it would be too late and we would lose some of our technicians. Initially, we were not included, and I think the whole community gave a strong reaction to the government, and they listened. Seeing that we were also offered the same $18,000 as Maniwak and Wakefield was good news. The most recent information I received from Mathieu Lacombe's office and confirmation from the Minister indicates that everything is proceeding well and they are getting ready to sign. I hope that our technicians will stay in the Pontiac, and I will work very hard on addressing the salary disparities between Quebec and Ontario."
André Fortin, Member of the National Assembly for Pontiac, provided a more critical perspective on the government’s decision. "For months, I have been demanding an equivalent bonus for Shawville’s medical imaging technologists. The government's announcement might have seemed like good news, but after consulting with the technologists themselves, the reality is clear. Some of the technologists in Shawville say they will still transfer to Hull or an Ontario hospital because the government is offering them a bonus that is several thousand dollars less than what is provided in the city. Our people deserve no less! The CAQ government must stop being stubborn, fix the mess it created, and offer a full bonus to the workers here. Otherwise, services in the Pontiac will suffer."
Fortin continued, "Already, in recent weeks, there have been service disruptions in imaging at Pontiac Hospital. If teams are reduced because technologists take positions in the city or in Ontario, the people of Pontiac will bear the brunt. They will have to travel to the city for basic services, which no one should have to do."
The urgency of the situation was underscored when Philippe Bessette highlighted the critical condition of the region's healthcare workforce on social media. Bessette noted that out of seven medical imaging technologists, four are considering relocating to Gatineau to benefit from the $22,000 bonus, rather than staying in Wakefield.
As the situation progresses, stakeholders throughout the Outaouais region remain optimistic that the agreement will soon be ratified, providing critical support to the healthcare system and its workers. For the latest updates on this developing story, continue to follow local news sources and official announcements from the Quebec government and APTS.
