Quebec school building projects, renovations on hold due to education cuts

School boards across Quebec say they’ve been given a government directive to put all new building projects on pause due to education funding cuts.

School boards and school service centres across the province say they’ve been given a government directive to put all new building projects and non-essential renovations on hold.

It comes as Quebec recently announced $200 million dollars in cuts — mid-way through the school year — catching many boards and service centres off guard, according to Kathleen Legault, president of the Montreal Association of School Principals (AMDES).

“Having cuts that are coming in the middle of the school year makes it difficult to prioritize what will have the least impact on our students,” she said.

Legault said it has left schools scrambling since they had already been forced to make cuts for this year’s budget. In addition to the hiring freezes for some jobs, she said now they are being forced to delay much needed building projects and repairs.

“You know, parents call the principal [asking] what’s happening with our school? When will it be rebuilt? When will we be moving out?” she said. “And all we can say to parents we know it’s not this year, it’s not next year. We have no idea when it’s going to be.”

The Lester B. Pearson School Board confirmed to CTV News that it has had to put two new elementary school projects on hold due to funding issues. The Sir Wilfred Laurier School Board said it also has delayed two MEQ-approved elementary school projects in Blainville and the Saint-Jerome area.

There are concerns the freeze will lead to overcrowding and another disruption for students and parents, according to the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec.

“We’re coming out of the five-year anniversary of the pandemic, and we’ve had school interruptions for a super long time,” said president Katherine Korakakis.

“We’ve had, you know, transport interruptions, we’ve had teachers that have gone on strike. So, all these things, and now a cut in budget, to me equals services taken away from children that desperately need it.”

She adds that parents are concerned the boards have not yet communicated where exactly the cuts will be made.

The Ministry of Education did not respond to CTV News' request for an interview.