Under increasing scrutiny due to educational funding reductions, Quebec reveals a $540 million allocation for students
Following a wave of strong public opposition, the Quebec government has announced a significant injection of $540 million into the education budget, aiming to offset proposed cuts that had sparked protests and widespread concern among educators, parents, and unions.
Initially, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, led by Premier François Legault, had mandated school service centres and boards to reduce spending by approximately $570 million, citing a $1 billion budget shortfall. These cuts threatened several services, including full-time teachers, speech therapy, psychology, special education, and other student support programs.
On July 16, 2025, Education Minister Bernard Drainville acknowledged public concerns and announced the new funding, stating that the dollars must be used exclusively for direct student services, with stringent conditions such as proof from service centres that they are minimizing administrative costs. Of this amount, $425 million will be allocated to a designated fund contingent on these criteria.
However, it was not explicitly mentioned whether the original budget cuts from June have been fully rescinded or if any part of them still stands. Stakeholders, including parent organizations like the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec (FCPQ) and the English Parent Committee Association (EPCA), continue to monitor developments closely and maintain dialogue with authorities, emphasizing that education must remain a priority and that parents will resist any measures jeopardizing their children's well-being and success.
Pascal Bérubé, the Parti Québécois MNA, in response to the announcement, credited the newly announced funding to his "record-breaking petition in education," which had collected 157,739 signatures as of late Wednesday morning. The head of the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), Joe Ortona, has expressed guarded optimism about the funding announcement, yet remains cautious due to past unexpected budget cuts and uncertainties about the exact allocation of funds.
The ministry had asked English school boards, French-language service centres, and private schools to cut $567.7 million from their budgets for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Ortona, the QESBA head, believes that the government's decision to scale back on funding was due to public pressure and the petition against budget cuts. Katherine Korakakis, the EPCA president, has emphasized that educational services are essential, not a luxury.
Despite the financial boost, it remains unclear if the original cuts are entirely lifted or if elements of the initial austerity directive persist under the new funding conditions. The CAQ government, Ortona, and Madwa-Nika Cadet, the Liberal Party's education critic, all express caution about celebrating the new budget rules, as they are unsure about the potential for future changes in funding.
In summary, while the government has mitigated most of the proposed cuts through new funding, it remains unclear if the original cuts are entirely lifted or if elements of the initial austerity directive persist under the new funding conditions.
- The new funding, announced by Education Minister Bernard Drainville, may provide relief for education, but it remains uncertain whether the initial proposed cuts in June have been fully rescinded, as the government has not explicitly stated so.
- The general news headlines today are likely to include the recent announcement of $540 million in additional funding for education in Quebec, following a wave of public opposition to the initial budget cuts proposed by the CAQ government.
- In the realm of finance and business, there is a significant development in Quebec's education sector, with the CAQ government investing an additional $540 million into education, facing pressure from various stakeholders including parent organizations like the FCPQ and EPCA, as well as opposition parties like the Parti Québécois.
