MONTREAL - Montreal health facilities from nursing homes to major hospitals are facing a surprise cut of $80 million to their budgets this year.

And, theyll face the same amount another $80 million excision next year.

The directive came from the Montreal Health and Social Services agency on April 26 as a result of provincewide belt-tightening measures aimed at reducing the provincial debt, as outlined in the budget tabled in March.

We know that the government is broke and that the health sector will be touched. No one is escaping the cuts, said Marcel Allaire, director of finances for CSSS Cavendish, which has been told to trim nearly $1.4 million from its budget of nearly $80 million before the fiscal year ends in March 2013.

We knew it was coming, but we didnt know how much, Allaire said.

Aimed primarily at administrative functions and personnel, the cuts are not supposed to affect services to patients.

Several people, however, told The Gazette that its not possible that budget cuts will not jeopardize care. Fewer staff may also put patients at greater risk of errors, critics warned.

I agree with the philosophy of having to optimize, but its not easy to do without compromising patient care, Allaire said. Its easy to cut services, its another thing to optimize and maintain services.

The agency directive sent shock waves among health officials across the island.

We dont want to scare people, but you have to read between the lines, said Brian Gore, head of professional services at Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre.

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Health-care budgets taking a huge hit