Spearheaded by the Caregiver Support Centre of the CSSS Cavendish, the Professionals Networking for Caregivers (PNC) is a committee composed of 36 professional partners from various organizations in the Montreal health and social service network.

MISSION
The mission of the PNC is to:
• Share information and identify gaps in services
• Build solidarity among professionals working with caregivers
• Sensitize professionals and the population at large to caregiving issues
• Outreach to professionals and caregivers

The PNC continues to develop partnerships with other provincial, national, and international caregiver organizations, including the the Canadian Caregiver Coalition (CCC).

HISTORY
Following the celebration of the Week of the Family in January of 2000, professionals from Montreal and surrounding areas agreed that the issue of caregiving warranted its own discussion forum. As a result of these initial discussions, the Professionals Networking for Caregivers was inaugurated in March 2000. In 2003, the PNC initiated the first week of November as Annual Caregivers’ Week in the province of Quebec. On November 6, 2007, Caregivers’ Week was officially recognized by the Quebec Ministry of Families and Seniors with a motion that passed unanimously in the National Assembly. Among the activities organized during Caregivers’ Week is the Annual Caregiver Resource Fair which brings together dozens of public and private resources under one roof so that caregivers can learn about the various resources available to them.

Caregivers’ Week celebrates and honours caregivers by:
• Recognizing and validating the contributions of caregivers to our health and social service system
• Furthering public awareness about caregiving issues
• Promoting social, individual, and government action
• Encouraging public policy reform
• Organizing special activities for caregivers throughout the week