How could the funding dispute between Miramichi's hospices affect the Miramichi Reader?
Local hospice funding dispute may boost Miramichi Reader interest The ongoing conflict between Percy’s Place and Vondy House over provincial funding for end-of-life care in Miramichi has become a highly visible community issue. This dispute, which involves allegations of skewed patient numbers and delays in facility operations, generates intense local discussion and public interest. As a local outlet, the Miramichi Reader is positioned to capture this heightened community engagement, potentially leading to increased readership and local traffic as residents follow the developments in the healthcare debate.
- Effect
- Mild positive
- How direct
- Brind's reasoning
- When
- Within weeks
- The story
- Gone quiet
How it reaches Miramichi Reader
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Two hospices in Miramichi are competing for provincial government funding for end-of-life care. A prominent physician, who backs Percy’s Place, claims his hospice deserves taxpayer money more than Hospice Miramichi Inc. Vondy House, which is currently funded by the New Brunswick government despite operational delays. In 2020, Hospice Miramichi signed a five-year agreement with the province for $542,074 a year to fund four hospice beds and two palliative respite beds.
The full event1independent outlet -
The dispute involves critical community services and questions of fairness regarding taxpayer money and care access. This high-stakes local controversy generates significant public confusion and dismay among Miramichi residents, who are actively following the situation and the involvement of provincial figures like Premier Susan Holt.
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The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- Two hospices, Percy’s Place and Vondy House, are fighting for provincial government funding in Miramichi.cbc.ca
- Percy’s Place admitted 131 patients in 2025, compared to 14 patients at Vondy House in 2024-25.cbc.ca
- Hospice Miramichi signed a five-year, $542,074-a-year memorandum of understanding with the province in 2020.cbc.ca
- Horizon Health Network investigated the disparity in patient numbers between the two facilities.cbc.ca
Why it matters
The dispute is fundamentally about access to and fairness in end-of-life care within the community. For residents, the controversy highlights a significant divide between two facilities, one receiving government funding despite low occupancy, and another receiving high patient numbers but operating without provincial support. The outcome of this funding battle affects the continuity and availability of essential palliative care services in Miramichi.
This is not an isolated incident; the disagreement dates back to 2018 when the province sought community non-profits for hospice care. The involvement of the provincial government, including Premier Susan Holt, and the investigation by Horizon Health Network demonstrates that the issue has escalated beyond a local disagreement into a matter of provincial health policy and ethical oversight.
What we don't know yet
- Will the provincial government intervene to resolve the funding dispute between the two hospices?
- What specific findings did Horizon Health Network reach regarding the skewed patient numbers?
What would change this answer
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Reporting
- cbc.caOct 19
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