MONTREAL, May 5, 2025 – Héma-Québec announced the extension of operating hours at its five Greater Montréal locations. This adjustment aims to better serve clients and attract new donors. Donation centers in Brossard, Laval, Montréal, Kirkland, and Saint-Bruno will now remain open until 8:30 p.m. on regular weekdays, with appointments available immediately.
According to Luc Lévesque, Vice-President, Blood Products and Mother’s Milk at Héma-Québec, the organization is pleased to share this news. These extended hours are a direct response to donor feedback, making the donation process more convenient and providing greater flexibility for individuals interested in donating blood, platelets, or plasma.
This decision reinforces Héma-Québec’s ongoing plasma self-sufficiency strategy. Recent events, including the pandemic and geopolitical issues, have highlighted the importance of reducing Québec’s reliance on imported biological products, particularly immunoglobulins, plasma-derived medications primarily sourced from the United States.
Lévesque also stated that the extended hours in Greater Montréal will further support Québec’s plasma self-sufficiency efforts. Achieving ambitious targets requires public support and generosity, which the organization is confident in receiving.
The road to self-sufficiency
Héma-Québec faces several challenges in maintaining a sufficient supply of biological products of human origin, including transportation, varying product lifespans, inventory and demand management, and donor recruitment. The increasing demand for biological products like immunoglobulin, driven by technological and medical advancements, underscores the urgency of Québec’s self-sufficiency for Héma-Québec.
Québec has made significant progress, achieving 100% self-sufficiency in blood products for hospital transfusions and breast milk for premature infants. The current objective is to achieve 42% self-sufficiency in intravenous immunoglobulin by 2027. Extending hours at select centers is one strategy Héma-Québec is employing, alongside opening new donation centers in locations such as Drummondville (2025) and Lévis (2026).
About Héma-Québec
Héma-Québec strives to effectively meet the Québec population’s requirements for blood and other high-quality biological products of human origin. With over 1,900 employees, more than 200,000 blood, plasma, stem cell, mother’s milk, and human tissue donors, and thousands of volunteers at blood drives, Héma-Québec delivers nearly 800,000 human-derived biological products to Québec hospitals annually to address patient needs.
SOURCE Héma-Québec
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