Quebec: A Health System Profile

Québec’s distinctive approach to health and social policy is predicated on its unique social history in Canada, which has allowed it to spearhead many innovations within the Canadian health care landscape, inspiring not only other provinces but also the federal government.

Québec: A Health System Profile provides an in-depth, descriptive analysis of Québec’s health care system. The book examines the organization of the health care system, financing mechanisms, health and human resources, infrastructure, and service delivery models and describes the major health care reforms in Québec that have occurred since the start of the twenty-first century. It also offers commentary on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Québec’s health care system throughout.

Presenting foundational health services concepts in relation to Québec, along with the complementing socio-historical approach adopted to describe Québec’s unique health care system, the book equips readers with invaluable insights and tools to navigate the complexities of ongoing health care policy challenges and to envision possible solutions forward for Québec’s health care system.

Emmanuelle Arpin is an assistant research professor in the School of Public Health at the Université de Montréal.


Lara Gautier is an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the Université de Montréal.


Amélie Quesnel-Vallée holds the Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health Inequalities and is a professor in the Department of Ethics, Equity and Policy and the Department of Sociology at McGill University.