Warning: This story contains discussion of suicide and the deaths of children. Discretion is advised.
Quebec’s youth protection system is facing renewed scrutiny after reports of the deaths of three children connected to Montreal’s Batshaw Youth and Family Centres prompted opposition criticism and led Santé Québec to request an independent examination of youth services in Montreal’s West Island.
The deaths were detailed in a Montreal Gazette investigation published last week. According to the report, three children connected to Batshaw died in March 2026. A 16-year-old girl in Batshaw’s care at its Prévost campus died by suicide on March 3, a case first reported by La Presse.
A 17-year-old boy who died by suicide on March 17 while allegedly waiting months for a first visit from a youth protection worker, and a four-year-old girl who died on March 31 while her household was under Batshaw supervision, The Gazette reported.
On Tuesday, the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) accused Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant of remaining silent nearly a week after the deaths came to light. Brigitte Garceau, the Liberal critic for youth protection, said the minister had failed to publicly address the situation, offer condolences to affected families or provide information about measures being taken to reassure the public.
Get breaking National news
Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.
On Wednesday, Carmant offered his first public comments on the matter to French-language radio station 98.5 FM and The Gazette.
He said he had been aware of the events for some time. “I’m making sure that everything is put in place to ensure that things are done properly. While waiting for the results of the coroner’s inquest, I preferred not to comment so as not to pre-empt what we’ll find,” he said to 98.5.
Carmant added that the province’s English-language youth protection services have faced ongoing issues related to recruitment, staff retention, service delays and wait lists.
“The protection of Quebec’s most vulnerable children requires accountability,” Garceau said in her statement earlier this week. She called for an immediate independent investigation into each of the three deaths, as well as a broader review of Batshaw’s institutional practices.
Garceau also questioned how many children under youth protection services have died in recent years and what failures, if any, occurred in the monitoring of the children involved.
Later Tuesday, Santé Québec announced it was asking the Office of the National Inspector General (Bureau de l’Inspectrice nationale, or BIN) to conduct an independent review of youth services within Santé Québec’s Montreal West Island network, citing concerns about the quality, safety and continuity of services provided to young people and their families.
The review will include two components: an organizational assessment aimed at optimizing practices and an administrative investigation focused on compliance.
According to Santé Québec, the objective is to obtain an independent evaluation of the situation, identify potential gaps and risks, and recommend improvements to governance, safety, service quality and continuity of care.
The BIN will also assess measures already implemented by the organization in recent months as part of a structured action plan. During the review, inspectors may recommend management interventions, corrective measures or other actions deemed necessary to ensure service quality and safety.
Santé Québec said it will receive ongoing updates throughout the process to help ensure that required actions are implemented promptly.
No timeline for the completion of the review was provided.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
For immediate mental health support, call 988. For a directory of support services in your area, visit the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention at suicideprevention.ca.
In Montreal, call 811, Option 2, or Suicide Action Montréal at 1-866-277-3553.
Learn more about preventing suicide with these warning signs and tips on how to help.
