Native Montreal opens healthcare clinic for Indigenous community

A culturally secure family healthcare clinic officially opened in Montreal on Friday.

The aim of the Native Montreal clinic will be to provide holistic and cultural appropriate services that will complement existing public services for the Indigenous community. The major milestone project was initiated in 2021.

“We’ve invited the healthcare system in our offices. That way doctors, nurses can learn from our staff how to practise better services to the Indigenous community and collaborate with our staff for all the other needs,” said Native Montreal executive director Philippe Meilleur.

The clinic will be open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be offering services to families, children, adults and seniors. Some services include, medical consultations, blood work, mental health services, as well as meeting with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.

“Right now, since we only have a part-time doctor, we’re only able to take a few hundred patients and so, the next stage is including about 50 new registries,” said Meilleur.

Native Montreal’s clinic will have a shared responsibility model between CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montreal and other partners to improve access to front-line services, with a focus on health and prevention.

The clinic will also be providing health navigation services, members that will help with booking appointments, guiding a patient through the healthcare system or, in some cases, accompany them during appointments.

“In health, we don’t have this customer service follow-up usually, and I think that’s the reason I’m saying this navigator principle is a good example of my vision of customer service or patient service that we need to have all across our health system,” said Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé.

“The joint construction of this project proves that we can work together to offer culturally adapted services to Native people in urban centers,” explained Ian Lafrenière, Minister responsible for relations with First Nations and Inuit. “I hope this initiative will be replicated in other major cities in Quebec.”

“All the learning that’s going to happen is also going to be shared across the province because these doctors and nurses have asked our Friendship Centre movement to create spaces where they can share with other doctors and other nurses across our different clinics. So, it’s going to evolve and it’s going to improve,” said Meilleur.

Additionally, the clinic will have health professionals specially trained to meet the needs and realities of Indigenous communities.

According to a press release by Native Montreal, there are more than 35,000 Indigenous community members living in the Montreal area, including 13,000 people on the island itself.

After a soft launch in November, Native Montreal has been preparing for their grand opening.

“We have been testing services, facilities and the system to ensure that our mission and vision are reflected in a place that brings hope to many members of Montreal’s native community,” said Meilleur.