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Special Projects

Project I.M.P.A.C.T.

Project I.M.P.A.C.T. (Innovation, Measuring results, Partnerships, Access to services, Communities, Technology), formerly Project BACLO, is a multi-year project dedicated to strengthening and expanding French-language healthcare services across Manitoba.

The project, announced on Nov. 24, 2025, by representatives of the Federal Government and Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, will provide Manitoba with $2.1M in federal funding over four years (2024-2028) to enhance French Language Services in the province. The funding proposal received strong endorsement from community partner organizations, reflecting a shared commitment to improving access to care for Francophone Manitobans.

Project I.M.P.A.C.T. builds on the findings of the Tripartite French-Language Services Integration Project, which concluded in 2023 in collaboration with key partners, including Santé en français and the Francophone Affairs Secretariat, that initiative identified persistent challenges affecting access to health services in French, including:

  • The high variability of services in French
  • Lack of sufficient coordination and integration
  • The rigidity of service delivery models
  • Unavailability of data on French-Language Services (FLS)
  • Lack of success in filling designated bilingual positions
  • The limitations of the current staffing model
  • Lack of a health human resources strategy specific to bilingual capacity

Originally titled as “Anchor and Expand Access to Quality Health Services in French”, Project I.M.P.A.C.T. isdesigned to support two key activities:

  • The development and implementation of data collection strategies on the demand for health services in French
  • The development and implementation of telehealth strategies to improve access to health services for Francophones.

By advancing these priorities, the project sets the foundation for enhancing Francophone health services across Manitoba with evidence-based clinical and human resources planning and sustainability.

Key project activities include:

  • The development of innovative delivery strategies and care models to reduce barriers to access and enhance health services in French, with a focus on rural and remote Francophone communities.
  • Piloting the use of French-language virtual care within a mental health and addictions program, alongside conducting a feasibility study on virtual care integration within primary care.
  • Centralizing provincial information on designated French and bilingual positions to improve workforce planning, coordination, and recruitment efforts.

Vitalité Santé!

Vitalité santé! is initiative which aims to develop a comprehensive action plan to align and coordinate strategies and activities for the training and recruiting of bilingual health and social service workers. Led by Réseau Compassion Network and its community partners, with the support of the Official Languages Health Program at Health Canada through Société Santé en français, we’ll be exploring solutions along the continuum of secondary education to professional settings.

A partnership of 14 service providers, educational institutions and government departments are called upon to contribute to the project through their participation in a wave of activities and planning initiatives. The initial five-year project aims to adapt existing services to improve access, develop knowledge about the needs of Francophone communities, and facilitate the integration of human resources in the health and social services fields.

For more information, please visit the Valité Santé website.