A new health clinic for indigenous families has opened in Montreal

A new health clinic in Montreal aims to provide culturally safe care to Indigenous families living in the city.

This is a collaborative project initiated by the Native Montreal Friendship Center in collaboration with the Regional Health Authority.

Philippe Meiller, executive director of Native Montreal, said the clinic started small with a doctor and two nurses working twice a week to provide a range of advanced services to local residents, children, adults and seniors.

“Our job is to serve,” said Meiller, a Kanienkeha:ka (Mohawk) from Kanesatake, northwest of Montreal.

“Right now we're just starting the model, the basics, and as more people sign up, our job will be to service, hire and build.”

Located on St. Jacques in Montreal's Sud-Ouest, the clinic has two exam rooms and three multipurpose rooms, including a cedar room used when patients want to see a traditional healer.

Meiller said that since October, the clinic will serve about 100 patients. The official opening was held on Friday in the presence of provincial ministers.

“We cannot work in silos. We need to work together and that's a powerful message,” said Ian Lafreniere, minister responsible for First Nations and Inuit relations.

Val d'Or model

The clinic is modeled after the Minowé Clinic, an integrated health center that is a partnership between the Val d'Or Indigenous Friendship Center and the Abitibi-Témiscamingue Region Health Authority, replicated in urban settings in Quebec.

Native Montreal launched a family clinic project in 2021. It is funded by the Quebec government's “I have hope” initiative, which includes measures to support health and wellness projects in friendship centers based on the model developed in Val d'Or.

“I am very pleased with the opening of this clinic, which demonstrates our government's commitment to continue its efforts to improve front-line care and culturally adapted services for Indigenous citizens in cities, taking into account their unique needs,” said Christian Dubé. Quebec's health minister said in a statement.

Health navigation support

One of those special needs is the support of health navigators.

“I think the health care system is very complicated for everyone,” said Rachel Albert, the clinic's health navigator.

“There are a lot of waiting times, but when you have indigenous people involved, there's a lot of racism.”

For Albert, one of the biggest issues Indigenous people face when accessing health services is trust, and he believes this new clinic will help build a connection between the health system and Indigenous people in Montreal. For now, he will see how he works with his clients.

“There are patients who are very nervous, very anxious and walk away laughing and thinking, 'I've never had a doctor listen to me properly,'” he said.