Role of the Foundation of the Val-d’Or Hospital Centre in the funding ecosystem
The Foundation of the Val-d’Or Hospital Centre (Fondation du Centre Hospitalier de Val-d’Or, FCHVD) is a charitable health foundation created in 1980 and solidly rooted in the Vallée-de-l’Or regional county municipality in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Its core role is to act as a financial partner of the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (CISSS‑AT) for the Val‑d’Or hospital, the CHSLD and related installations. The foundation organizes an annual fundraising campaign, special events and corporate partnerships, then redistributes the money to health projects and the purchase of specialized medical equipment.
Over the years, the foundation has invested more than $7.5 million in its territory, including over $1 million since 2019 alone. The page “Où vont vos dons?” and the annual reports show that 100% of donations are reinvested locally and targeted to five main funding streams: operating room and endoscopy, emergency and intensive care, medical imaging, oncology and hemodialysis, and “ageing in health and dignity” for long‑term care residents. Other recurring areas include the mother‑and‑child unit, rheumatology and various outpatient clinics.
Types of funding and main programs
- Purchase of medical equipment: regular investments in high‑tech diagnostic and treatment equipment (e.g. PET‑scan and TEP perfusion systems, portable ultrasound, infusion devices, vital signs monitors, dialysis chairs, therapeutic mattresses, lifts, telemetry consoles).
- Humanisation of care and living environments: funding for geriatric and CHSLD projects such as interactive boards, murals, adapted furniture and outdoor amenities that improve residents’ comfort and reduce anxiety.
- Development of local services: support for new or expanded services in Val‑d’Or, such as nuclear medicine, rheumatology and dialysis, reducing the need for patients to travel to larger centres.
- Targeted initiatives: thematic projects like “Projet Cœur d’enfant” for pediatrics and the mother‑and‑child unit, or emergency funds such as the COVID‑19 fund created with an initial allocation of $100,000.
Funding mechanisms and partners
The foundation does not operate open-call grant competitions but rather works closely with CISSS‑AT managers and clinical teams to identify priority needs and approve funding requests. Its revenues come from individual donations (including an annual direct-mail blitz), corporate gifts, planned giving, fundraising events, the Loto Santé 50/50 A‑T online lottery, and a long‑standing visibility program called “chambres, départements, étages”, through which businesses sponsor specific units in exchange for recognition plaques.
Major corporate partners such as Eldorado Gold Québec, Agnico Eagle Ltée, Desjardins, Sandvik and Promutuel Assurance Boréale have contributed large multi‑year gifts that the foundation channels into defined projects (for example, $100,000 agreements for CHSLD improvements or hemodialysis equipment). The annual reports provide detailed breakdowns of revenues by source and expenditures by department, along with audited financial statements.
Supported audiences and overall impact
The foundation’s funding benefits a wide spectrum of patients: seniors in long‑term care, people with cancer or renal failure, cardiac and intensive‑care patients, mothers and newborns, children requiring hospitalization, and individuals receiving rheumatology or diabetes care. By equipping local facilities to higher clinical standards and enhancing living environments, the foundation helps maintain high‑quality, accessible health services in a remote region. Its long‑term presence and transparent reporting make it a central philanthropic actor in the Abitibi‑Témiscamingue health ecosystem.