Local communities and the McGill University Health Centre celebrate a new phase of partnership

Local organisations from Westmount, Notre-Dame-de-Grace and St-Henri are celebrating a new phase in their longstanding partnership with the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) regarding the development of the Glen Site, a state-of-the-art teaching hospital currently under construction at the crossroads of the three neighbourhoods.

Representatives of the MUHC and the Concertation Inter-Quartier (CIQ), an inter-neighbourhood coalition of nine community groups and institutions, convened today near the Glen construction site to celebrate the adoption of a document outlining common objectives and shared actions that will continue to help to ensure the harmonious integration of the hospital complex into the surrounding communities.

This document outlines the second phase of an innovative collaboration between a major institution and local communities that began in 2004 when the MUHC and the CIQ signed a Partnership agreement. One of the first of its kind to be signed in Quebec, the agreement paves the way for discussions and initiatives related to job creation for local residents, transport planning for the site, the urban integration of the hospital and local economic development.

“The MUHC has nurtured close ties with its community for many years to ensure that our development at the Glen Site acts as a positive engine of change in the surrounding neighbourhoods,” said Normand Rinfret, Interim Director General and CEO from the MUHC. “Through ongoing dialogue, our representatives have teamed up with the CIQ to maximize the benefits of our new hospital complex to the community. We are pleased to reaffirm our partnership today and to move toward developing tangible projects with our partners.”

Members of the CIQ are also optimistic that this new phase of partnership will lead to concrete benefits. The Community Economic Development Corporation in Côte-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and the RÉSO, its counterpart in the South-West, are looking forward to working with the hospital on strategies to increase local hiring and open up opportunities for local businesses during the development of the Glen Site. “The arrival of the hospital represents a real opportunity for the economic development of our neighbourhoods,” said Shannon Franssen, coordinator of Solidarité St-Henri and member of the board of directors at RÉSO. “By collaboring with the hospital, we hope to address some concerns raised by local residents and community groups about the integration of the hospital into the surrounding area, and the impact of this institution on our neighbourhoods. Now that we've outlined common objectives with the MUHC, we're looking forward to developing projects that will provide concrete solutions and ensure that the presence of the MUHC benefits our communities.”

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About the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) One of the world’s foremost academic health centres, the MUHC offers exceptional and integrated patient-centric care, research teaching and technology assessment. Highly committed to the continuum of care in its community and affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University, The Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital of the MUHC value multidisciplinary service throughout the lifespan, innovative technologies and practices, strategic partnerships and leadership in knowledge transfer. The MUHC is currently carrying out a $2.355-billion Redevelopment Project on three sites—the Montreal General Hospital, the Glen site and the Lachine Hospital—designed to provide healthcare professionals with an effective environment in which to ensure patients and their families benefit from The Best Care for Life. The campuses are also anchored in best sustainable-development practices, including LEED^® and BOMA BESt guidelines. www.muhc.ca www.muhc.ca/construction

The Concertation Interquartiers (CIQ) is an inter-neighbourhood coalition of community groups concerned with the impact of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) hospital to be built at the Glen Campus. The community partners include: the NDG Community Council, the CSSS Cavendish, the CDEC CDN-NDG, the Westmount Municipal Association, the CSSS de la Montagne, the Contactivity Centre, RESO, Solidarité St-Henri, the CSSS Sud-Ouest – Verdun. The CIQ also receives invaluable support from the Community-University Research Alliance – Making Megaprojects Work for Communities.For more information, see ciq-glen.ca


For more information, contact:
Julie Paquet, McGill University Health Centre
514 934-1934, extension 71684
[email protected]

Shannon Franssen for the CIQ
514-730-1311
[email protected]



Les partenaires célèbrent l’adoption de l’annexe, de gauche à droite :
Jean Paiement, directeur des partenariats et communications (CSSS de la Montagne)
Prof. Lisa Bornstein, directrice du projet (ARUC: Mégaprojets au service des communautés)
Halah Al-Ubaidi, directrice (NDG Community Council
Bridget Blackadder, member (Contactivity Centre)
Dr. Maureen Keily, member of the board of directors (Westmount Municipal Association)
Normand Rinfret, directeur général et chef de la direction par intérim (CUSM)
Francine Dumont, présidente (CDEC CDN-NDG)
Denis Lévesque, organisateur communautaire (CSSS du Sud-Ouest – Verdun)
Pierre Morrissette, directeur général (RÉSO)
Shannon Franssen, coordonnatrice (Solidarité St-Henri)
Claude Lauzon, directeur (CDEC CDN-NDG)