MONTREAL, Oct. 30, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ – St. Raphael’s Palliative Care Home and Day Centre (“St. Raphael’s”), a charitable organization created to build and operate a palliative care home with a day centre that will be the first of its kind in Montreal, held a groundbreaking ceremony today.

In the presence of several distinguished guests, including Dr. Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services, Pierre Arcand, Minister responsible for Government Administration and Ongoing Program Review, Chair of the Conseil du trésor and Member for Mont Royal, and Russell Copeman, Borough Mayor of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, where the project is located, as well as a number of major donors and over a hundred members of the community, St. Raphael’s officially inaugurated the start of construction work.

Having raised almost $6 million of its $10 million major fundraising campaign objective, St. Raphael’s will kick off the general public phase of the campaign in the coming weeks, under the direction of co-chairs Luc Maurice, founder and President of Le Groupe Maurice, Rick Renaud, Chairman and CEO of TNG Corporation, Carolyn Renaud and Lillian Vineberg.

This much-needed and innovative project has already received support from several major donors, including the Montreal St. Patrick’s, Rossy Family, Molson and RBC Foundations, the Estate of Father Gerald A. Sinel, Desjardins, France and André Desmarais, Power Corporation, the family of Romaine Ardizzon, Future Electronics, Harden Management, Quebecor Media and Vidéotron, as well as from the Archdiocese of Montreal, which has transferred the use of the building and land that will become St. Raphael’s, through an emphyteutic lease. “We are most grateful to our donors for their tremendous contribution. We are gathered for today’s milestone thanks to their generosity,” said Rick Renaud.

Construction of the project has also been facilitated by the substantial contribution of a number of construction companies, including EBC, Groupe Marchand, de Bellefeuille Design, Beaupré & Associés Experts Conseils, CDI Groupe Conseil, CLA Experts-Conseils and Dupéré. “These companies have shown great generosity in helping us keep to a very tight budget, and for that we are extremely grateful,” said Luc Maurice.

About St. Raphael’s

St. Raphael’s is a charitable organization created to build and operate a palliative care home and the first day centre of its kind in Montreal. Its mission is to offer exceptional palliative care and services in a warm and compassionate environment, free of charge, to people suffering from an incurable illness, so that they may live an end of life imbued with compassion, respect and humanity. For more information, visit maisonstraphael.org.