Quebec's campaign to hire more staff in CHSLDs risks creating holes elsewhere

Tens of thousands of people have answered Premier François Legault's call to apply to work as orderlies in CHSLDs, but the recruitment drive has also prompted concerns it will exacerbate shortages elsewhere in the province's health-care system.

The Quebec government is promising a starting wage of $26 an hour, $49,000 annually, to the 10,000 people who complete the three-month program. 

That's far more than what's being offered elsewhere to orderlies, known in French as préposés aux bénéficiaires, or PABs.

Johanne Pratte, the director general of an association offering publicly funded assisted living, is worried her network will lose workers if the government doesn't boost their wages too.

Even with a provincial government bonus during the pandemic, they still only make $17 or $18 an hour.

"We know a second wave is coming, so we'll be understaffed and underpaid. We won't be able to take care of the 16,000 people using intermediary resources," said Pratte, of L'Association des ressources intermédiaires d'hébergement du Québec.

Greg Bishop, a former executive director of a private seniors' home in the Eastern Townships, said orderlies in private homes are also likely to leave in favour of the new government program. 

Private homes can't compete with the pay bump PABs will get through the new program, without in turn raising fees for residents.

"That could very quickly — literally in a matter of months — bring us to our knees, because if our staff leaves us, we're done," he said.

He, too, is calling on the province to provide subsidies to private homes to make up the difference.

Sol Zanetti, an MNA with the opposition party Québec Solidaire, said the province failed to "plan on the consequences on the rest of the health system."

Fast-track to full-time has strong appeal 

For those hopeful of a job under the new program, the appeal is clear: a full-time job with benefits.

Kristin Bayliff is among those who applied, after being laid off when the pandemic began.

"I think it would be a really good opportunity," she said.

"I'm a mom living alone with a six year old. I have looked at going back to school but it is daunting that it's a three-year course. All of sudden it's three months, and you are guaranteed a full-time job."

Education Minister Jean-François Roberge, who is overseeing the training program, said he was pleasantly surprised by the number of applications. More than 70,000 people have now applied. 

Government officials will be reviewing those applications to determine who would be a good fit for the program and whether applicants are eligible. The registration period ends on Friday at 5 p.m.

"We are confident that we will ultimately be able to train more than 10,000 CHSLD workers," Roberge said Wednesday.