Quebec slashes spending budgets for CEGEPs and universities, affecting much needed renos

Quebec has made budget cuts for CEGEPs and universities – slashing spending on renovations and expansions – even if many urgently need work.

The directive was announced by the Ministry of Higher Education in a letter sent at the end of July – one month into the fiscal year.

As the school year begins, some CEGEPs have already exceeded their budgets, after the new cuts were made.

CEGEP directors from all Quebec regions are expected to meet with members of Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry’s team on Thursday to discuss the new adjustments.

Some CEGEPS and universities have been forced to cancel their calls for tender.

Government data suggests that 43 per cent of all university buildings are in poor condition.

Dery asking CEGEPS to slow down

The Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, is asking CEGEPs to slow down and reduce their spending on building refurbishment, because “we can’t do everything at once”.

We find ourselves in a bottleneck,” she explained in a press scrum on Thursday. At some point, we have to prioritize certain projects. We can’t do everything at once.”

The Legault government’s decision comes at a time when more and more CEGEPs are considered obsolete.

On Thursday, Déry said she understood that her measure could give rise to “concerns.” However, she indicated that she had no intention of backing down, and pleaded for “sound” management of public funds.

“I really have to manage the evolution of projects,” she said. “I have lots of projects where costs have exploded in recent months, so we’re going to have to manage cost explosions too.”

Déry also assured that “ongoing projects will continue” and that no program will be threatened by this new directive from her department.

Moreover, in the long term, “colossal” amounts have been earmarked for the maintenance and refurbishment of CEGEPs and universities, the Minister reiterated.

Three times less money will be spent for some universities

At l’Université Laval, three times less money will be spent over the next four years to renovate several buildings and research labs. The university will now have to postpone several projects that had been planned for years.

According to the data obtained from TVA, over the next four years, l’Université Laval will spend around $95 million on renovations, rather than the $300 million they had planned for.

The Université de Montréal will have to postpone several renovation projects that were already in motion – causing problems between contractors.

McGill University and Concordia University have similar infrastructure problems.

Government officials reported that these cuts will make it possible to monitor the progress of these projects more closely. Additionally, since 2019, they point out that infrastructure investments on campus have increased by 24 per cent. 

-With files from The Canadian Press