Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Fondation Santé Rimouski

The mission of Fondation Santé Rimouski is to mobilize community philanthropy to improve access to quality health and social services in Rimouski and the Bas‑Saint‑Laurent region by financing priority medical equipment, infrastructure projects, research and targeted support initiatives in partnership with the CISSS du Bas‑Saint‑Laurent.

Fondation Santé Rimouski is a Foundation.

Fondation Santé Rimouski was founded in 1983.

Fondation Santé Rimouski's official website is https://www.fondationsanterimouski.com/.

Fondation Santé Rimouski is a regional health foundation that mobilizes community philanthropy to strengthen healthcare services in Rimouski and the Bas‑Saint‑Laurent region. Created in 1983, it manages donations from individuals, businesses and partners in order to finance priority needs of the Hôpital régional de Rimouski, the local CLSC, the CHSLD and related home‑care and community installations.

Role in the health funding ecosystem

The foundation plays a complementary role to the public health system by investing in medical equipment, infrastructure upgrades and innovative projects that would otherwise be difficult to fund. Its actions include purchasing leading‑edge diagnostic and treatment equipment (such as EEG devices, nuclear medicine cameras and breast MRI coils), supporting modernization projects in emergency, psychiatry and oncology units, and improving living environments in long‑term care centres through adapted terraces, therapeutic tools and comfort equipment.

Over the years, Fondation Santé Rimouski has invested close to $22M in the region. These investments help reduce travel for patients, improve access to specialized expertise, shorten or avoid hospitalizations and enhance quality of life for seniors, people living with mental health issues and many other client groups served by the CISSS du Bas‑Saint‑Laurent.

Dedicated funds and areas of support

• Distinct funds such as the Anne Lévesque Fund (temporary lodging for parents of premature or ill newborns), the Arianne Fund (specialized equipment and innovative projects in the field of intellectual and physical disabilities), the Frédéric St‑Pierre Fund (oncology projects and equipment), and the Sourire Fund (urgent dental‑care needs for low‑income individuals without coverage).
• Research fund supporting the CISSS du Bas‑Saint‑Laurent research activities to develop local projects adapted to regional realities and promote access to medical innovation.
• Capital and equipment projects including rehabilitation of psychiatric units, curietherapy services, emergency resuscitation rooms, pediatric and family spaces, and specialized equipment in intensive care and nuclear medicine.

Governance, values and accountability

The foundation is governed by a board of directors drawn mainly from the business and hospital communities, and supported by a small professional team and over a hundred active volunteers. It emphasizes values such as mutual aid, collaboration, respect, transparency, ethics and sound financial management. Annual reports detail the projects and investments carried out each year, allowing donors and partners to see the concrete impact of their contributions across the various missions of the CISSS du Bas‑Saint‑Laurent.

Supported audiences and overall impact

Through its grants and project funding, Fondation Santé Rimouski supports a wide range of patients and clienteles: newborns and families, oncology and cardiology patients, people living with chronic diseases, seniors in loss of autonomy, individuals with cognitive disorders and those followed in mental health. By financing equipment, infrastructures and targeted funds, it helps maintain high‑quality care close to home and reinforces Rimouski’s role as a regional health hub.