Daily Herald Staff
The Montreal Lake Cree Nation celebrated the grand opening of their new healthcare facility on Wednesday.
The facility will provide 24-hour-a-day service to residents year round. Chief Joyce Naytowhow McLeod of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Council, Elders, community members and representatives from Indigenous Services Canada, celebrated the grand opening of the community’s new healthcare facility in northern Saskatchewan.
“This grand opening celebrates our new health facility where everyone is treated with respect and dignity,” Nayatowhow McLeod said in a press release.
The Montreal Lake Cree Nation contributed financially to the capital project working collaboratively with the federal government to see the completion of the health infrastructure project.
The facility is now the centre of holistic health care support and services for roughly 2,500 residents of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation.
“Generations of people will be able to get the quality care they deserve in this new facility. Congratulations to Chief Nayatowhow McLeod and Council,the community healthcare providers, and the members of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation. This is a crucial step in ensuring everyone has a fair chance to succeed,” said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.
The new facility includes 1,339m2 of space for primary care (nursing), communicable disease control, homecare, dental and medical transportation.
The holistic and culturally sensitive health care services are delivered by the community’s nurse practitioners, RN(AAP) nurses, home care nurses, dental therapist, community health representatives, medical transportation coordinators, clerks, and drivers, maintenance personnel, security, and laboratory technician.
- Indigenous Services Canada provided $7 million towards this project.
- Montreal Lake Cree Nation is a Woodland Cree First Nation in northern Saskatchewan with approximately 4,000 members.
- Through the Government of Canada’s Health Facilities Program, Indigenous Services Canada works with First Nations and Inuit communities to provide funding for infrastructure that supports the delivery of health-related programs and services.
