From left to right: Jean-François Lévesque, President and CEO of the Chambre de Commerce et d’industrie de la Rive-Sud (CCIRS); Danièle Henkel, Senator; Doreen Assaad, Mayor of Brossard; Dr Fabrice Brunet, President of the Quartier de l’Innovation en Sante (QIS); Sonia Bélanger, minister of Health and minister responsible for Seniors and Caregivers; and Julie Éthier, Head Leader, Développement Économique Longueuil (DEL).
On May 12th, the city of Brossard and the Cite Universitaire de la Sante Des Femmes (CUSDF) announced that they were joining forces to launch this transformative and innovative project at Quartier Dix30, which will bring about lasting change to women’s health in Quebec and beyond.
Driven with commitment by Stefanie Tran, Vice-President of the Quartier de l’Innovation en Sante, this project addresses a real need: to offer a more human, accessible model tailored to the realities of women today and tomorrow.
As Dr Fabrice Brunet emphasised: “Health is not merely the absence of illness, but a physical, mental, social and cultural balance to be maintained throughout life.” A powerful vision that is fully in line with this initiative and which underscores the importance of investing in more preventive, inclusive and innovative solutions.
The minister of Health and minister responsible for Seniors and Caregivers, Sonia Bélanger, also pointed out that this project is in line with the objectives of the government’s 2026–2032 action plan ‘Uniting our strengths for better prevention’. She emphasised that this is not just about women’s health, but also that of families, communities and, ultimately, Quebec society as a whole.
The Honourable Danièle Henkel, sponsor of Bill S-243 aimed at creating a national framework for women’s health in Canada, highlighted the four essential pillars for establishing such a framework: understanding, prevention, training and coordination.
The CUSDF will bring together expertise in care, research, prevention, training, innovation and support within a single ecosystem to better address the realities faced by women at every stage of their lives. It will take shape in an accessible, supportive and dynamic environment, conducive to the emergence of a true centre of excellence dedicated to women’s overall health. Its governance will be based on three complementary components: a non-profit organisation, a foundation and a public-private ecosystem comprising committed partners.
The first phase of the project, scheduled to take place over the next 12 to 18 months, will aim to bring together existing expertise and assess the needs of the population. The following three years will be devoted to enhancing the range of services in line with the identified needs, across the fields of care, research, teaching and innovation.
Through this ambitious initiative, the CUSDF aims to mobilise the entire local and international ecosystem—including institutional, clinical, academic, community, philanthropic and private partners—to transform knowledge into concrete solutions.
More than just a project, it is an invitation to build the future of women’s health together.
