CHAPTER REPORTS
QUEBEC CHAPTER
ALBERTA CHAPTER
Summer brought a different type of wave this year: COVID-19. Its spread has taken many countries by surprise and placed enormous stress on healthcare systems. Modifications have been made at a rapid pace to accommodate a new type of patient and protect the workforce, with innovative solutions coming from facility managers. Many individuals had to rely on internal resources and their own knowledge. The Quebec chapter held its first event of 2020 in February, at McGill University Health Centre’s Glen site. It included a tour of the mechanical rooms followed by a conference on legionella in the hospital water network. The event was a huge success with more than 70 people in attendance, including Ontario chapter chair Jim McArthur whose presence was valued. We’d like to increase interactions with other chapters on a national level, as well as bring local healthcare facility communities together. As the industry moves to new building layouts and solutions to cohabit with the presence of the coronavirus, the Quebec chapter will host a variety of informative webinars in the coming weeks. We will continue to monitor the situation closely across the province and adapt our offerings accordingly. Check the Quebec chapter page on the CHES website regularly and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date.
After the stress and uncertainty of the last several months, I am sure we all deserve some relaxation this summer. Remember, safety should still be the number one priority. I am fortunate to be the facilities maintenance and engineering manager at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary. The Alberta government has announced the hospital will undertake capital upgrades. These projects are the only ones slated in the province for the near future. The plans include a new medical device reprocessing department suite, emergency room expansion, rapid response laboratory and mental health short stay expansion. We are going to be busy at my site. The chapter executive is looking to establish a bursary program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, similar to what is provided at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Supporting continuing education has been a very rewarding endeavour. CHES Alberta hosted its first virtual annual general meeting on June 15. I’d like to thank the events management team for helping coordinate the meeting to ensure it was a success. —Dan Ballantine, Alberta chapter chair
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR CHAPTER
L’été 2020 nous a apporté un nouveau type de vague: la COVID-19. Sa propagation a pris de nombreux pays par surprise et a imposé une pression énorme sur les systèmes de santé. On s’est rapidement adapté pour accueillir un nouveau type de patients et protéger la main-d’œuvre; les gestionnaires d’installations ont proposé des solutions innovantes à cet effet. La section québécoise a tenu sa première activité de 2020 en février, sur le site Glen du Centre universitaire de santé McGill. Elle consistait en une visite des salles mécaniques, suivie d’une conférence sur la legionella dans le réseau d’eau de l’hôpital. Ce fut un énorme succès : plus de 70 personnes y ont participé, dont le président de la section ontarienne, Jim McArthur. Sa présence a été appréciée. D’ailleurs, nous aimerions accroître nos interactions avec les autres sections et rassembler les communautés régionales des installations en soins de santé. Alors que le secteur adopte de nouvelles solutions et de nouveaux aménagements afin de pouvoir cohabiter avec le coronavirus, la section québécoise organisera divers webinaires au cours des prochaines semaines. Nous suivrons de près la situation dans toute la province afin d’adapter nos offres en conséquence. Pour rester à jour, consultez régulièrement la page de la section québécoise sur le site web de la SCISS et suivez-nous sur les réseaux sociaux.
The first half of 2020 has been challenging. After being pounded by a major winter snowstorm that forced a state of emergency, the pandemic hit. Transitioning facilities for an expected influx of COVID-19 patients, constructing drive-thru clinics in multiple locations, and dividing staff and implementing rotating shifts are just a few things that have kept healthcare staff busy. Throughout this pandemic, we have seen time and again the importance of our work. On behalf of the chapter, I would like to express my gratitude to, and appreciation for, our frontline facilities management staff and management team. The amount of work completed (in many instances with skeleton crews) has been remarkable. Where would we be without everyone pulling together for the common goal? I cannot thank you enough. As a province, like many others, we are currently in an economic low, primarily as a result of COVID-19. But even prior to the pandemic, our provincial financial picture was bleak. The number of residential and commercial new builds is at a minimum, oil and gas projects are on pause, offshore drilling is at a standstill and almost all industries have seen a decline. As we anxiously await a federal stimulus program, the province chugs along at status quo. All economic predictions indicate this will continue for the next few years. For this reason, it is challenging for people to find funding to partake in such voluntary groups as CHES. Nevertheless, the chapter is pushing recruitment of vendors/suppliers, consultants and other healthcare dependents to improve membership enrolment. The chapter is sitting in a solid financial position. We are looking at creative ways of spending a portion of our funding, which includes investing in the continual learning for members through sponsorships, conferences and/or educational reimbursements.
—Mohamed Merheb, président du chapitre du Québec
—Colin Marsh, Newfoundland & Labrador chapter chair
—Mohamed Merheb, Quebec chapter president
CHAPITRE DU QUEBEC
12 CANADIAN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
