Chapter Reports

The fight against COVID-19 continues with the emergence of a new variant. The province’s health network is facing new roadblocks, especially in relation to staffing. Government is working on many incentives and projects to boost up the network and prepare it to face all the delays in appointments and surgeries.

During 2021, the Quebec chapter only offered online education sessions. Specific topics pertaining to healthcare facilities were chosen for members and non-members. In 2022, there will be a return to in-person meetings and conferences, whenever possible. We will monitor the situation and adapt our offerings, as needed.

CHES will host the International Federation of Hospital Engineering Congress Sept. 17-21, in Toronto. This will be an incredible opportunity for all healthcare facility managers and workers who attend.

The Quebec chapter’s focus continues to be to increase our membership and offer various activities in accordance with ourmission to “build member expertise in Canadian healthcare engineering.” A new calendar of events should soon be available online.

Do not forget to follow us on social media and regularly check the Quebec chapter page on the CHES website for updates.

—Mohamed Merheb, Quebec chapter chair

BRITISH COLUMBIA CHAPTER

In late 2020, there was a glimmer of hope that provincial restrictions may be lifted and we would be able to meet again in-person. While this did not happen and we had to pivot to a virtual education event in 2021, 2022 looks like it’s going to be different. I am excited to share that planning for our conference, scheduled for June 5-7, continues. The theme is, Improving Quality through Accountability, Collaboration and Design. With COVID-19 and the recent fires, heat wave and flooding in the province, we realize the importance of working together to ensure our healthcare facilities can carry us through to the future.

—Norbert Fischer, British Columbia chapter chair La lutte contre la COVID-19 se poursuit. Un nouveau variant est apparu. La course à la vaccination est toujours en cours pour les adultes et maintenant les enfants. Le réseau de santé de la province est confronté à de nouveaux obstacles, notamment en ce qui concerne la dotation en personnel. Le gouvernement travaille sur de nombreuses mesures incitatives et de nombreux projets pour dynamiser le réseau et le préparer à faire face à tous les retards dans les rendez-vous et les opérations chirurgicales.

En 2021, la section québécoise n’a proposé que des sessions de formation en ligne. Des sujets spécifiques relatifs aux établissements de santé ont été choisis pour les membres et les non-membres. On reprendra en 2022, dans la mesure du possible, les réunions et conférences en personne. Nous suivrons la situation de près et adapterons nos offres, le cas échéant.

La SCISS accueillera le congrès de la Fédération internationale de l’ingénierie hospitalière du 17 au 21 septembre, à Toronto. Ce sera une opportunité incroyable pour tous les gestionnaires et travailleurs des établissements de santé qui y assisteront.

Le chapitre du Québec continue de se concentrer sur l’augmentation du nombre de membres et sur l’offre de diverses activités, conformément à notre mission, qui est de “développer l’expertise des membres dans le domaine de l’ingénierie des soins de santé au Canada.” Un nouveau calendrier des événements devrait bientôt être disponible en ligne.

N’oubliez pas de nous suivre sur les médias sociaux et de consulter régulièrement la page de la section québécoise sur le site web de la SCISS pour les mises à jour.

—Mohamed Merheb, chef du conseil d’administration du Québec

MARITIME CHAPTER

The 2021 fall education sessions that were scheduled to take place in Truro, N.S., in November, had to unfortunately be postponed due to COVID. Planning for the 2022 spring chapter conference is in full swing. It will be held in Moncton, N.B., at the Delta Beausejour, May 1-3. Stay tuned for the exciting speaker lineup.

The recipient of the 2021 Per Paasche bursary of $1,000 was Louis Cormier. Louis will attend the Shippigan campus of the Université du Moncton, where he will work toward his degree in health sciences. He is the son of Maritime chapter member MarcCormier, a facility manager with Vitalité in New Brunswick.

The chapter is able to balance its books while offering several financial incentives to its members, including a discounted rate to the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference, student bursaries, contributions to Canadian Certified Healthcare Facility Manager exam fees, webinars and the fall education day, among other rebates.

As I write this chapter report, I find myself reminiscing over the events of this past year and reports previously written. Although Canadian winters can be harsh, we need to embrace it to make the best of it. There are many winter activities that we can take part in that allow us to abide by COVID-19 policies and regulations while still having fun, such as ice skating, skiing, snowmobiling and sledding. Let’s get out there and freeze our behinds off.

From the chapter side, we are holding our own. Expenditures have been nil over the past year, so financially the chapter is sound. In 2022, we will continue to sponsor and support our members with respect to travel and accommodations to attend the chapter’s education forum in spring.

Similar to past events, there will be many exciting and informative topics at the spring conference, which is scheduled to take place May 16-17. Vendors have been anxiously chasing us to secure a booth. The format will be new and include round table discussions. More details to come.

The executive team is currently in talks about what we can offer membership in terms of sponsorship for the 2022 International Federation of Hospital Engineering Congress in Toronto.

A primary goal of the chapter executive is to improve communication with our members. We aim to better deliver on virtual educational opportunities and will work harder to promote such events, as well as partner with local bodies to spread CHES news.

—Colin Marsh, Newfoundland & Labrador Chapter chair

ONTARIO CHAPTER

The Ontario chapter’s current focus is the continued planning for the 2022 International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE) Congress in Toronto, Sept. 17-21. Less than nine months until we are gathered in-person for what should be an amazing event. The program and all associated events are coming together nicely. The two keynote speakers are former women’s national ice hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser (Day 1), who represented Canada at the Winter Olympics five times, capturing four gold medals and one silver medal, and former astronaut Dr. Dave Williams (Day 2). The opening reception will be held at the Hockey Hall of Fame, where one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players’ in history, Marcel Dionne, will be in attendance. Thanks to all the volunteers on the planning committee and various sub-committees. Online registration will open in the new year.

With the IFHE Congress taking place in 2022, our next chapter conference will take place June 4-6, 2023, in Windsor, Ont. Conference planning chair Ron Durocher is heading up this event. In the meantime, I look forward to attending many of the other chapters’ spring conferences to promote the IFHE Congress. 2022 is an election year for CHES Ontario. A notice will be sent to chapter members in spring. I encourage everyone to consider running for any open position on the executive team. Planning for the 2022 Manitoba chapter spring conference and trade show is well underway. It will be held May 16-17, at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre in Winnipeg. Education session topics will be centred on the ongoing challenges of infection control, water management, extreme heat and smoke, clinical outbreaks, loss of utility services and medical gas systems. Business coach Greg Kettner will deliver the keynote address on his WorkHappy game plan. Manitoban comedian Matt Falk will provide entertainment at the banquet, during which the 2021/2022 Facilities Management and Project Management awards will be handed out. (Nomination information will soon be delivered via e-blast.) More information to follow as the planning for 2022 proceeds.

The Manitoba chapter is planning to hold the Canadian Healthcare Construction Course with the Winnipeg Construction Association at the end of May. More information to come in the new year as we finalize the two-day session.

The CHES journal, Canadian Healthcare Facilities, is currently looking for article submissions. If interested, please contact anyone on the chapter executive to assist in getting your article published.

I hope many of you will have the opportunity to attend the 2022 International Federation of Hospital Engineering Congress Sept. 17-21, in Toronto. The congress is being held in conjunction with the 2022 CHES National Conference. Check out the CHES homepage for more information.

—Reynold J. Peters, Manitoba chapter chair

ALBERTA CHAPTER

There has been lots of positive feedback on the 2021 CHES National (Virtual) Conference. It was great to reconnect with members from across the country, even if it wasn’t in-person. The effort that went into the conference is greatly appreciated.

CHES Alberta has partnered with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to provide annual bursaries of $1,500 to students within the power engineering program. These bursaries will be awarded starting in fall 2022, and end in fall 2024, with an option to renew.

Planning has begun on the chapter’s annual spring conference. The executive team remains positive that it will go ahead as planned and be an in-person event.

The Alberta chapter remains in good financial standing, so we continue to look for ways to support CHES members the best we can.

On behalf of the entire chapter, I’d like to thank all healthcare facility staff and volunteers that continue to work hard to help provide excellent care.