Quebec CEGEPs furious over last-minute infrastructure cuts

Quebec's CEGEPs say they were blindsided and are furious after being informed they must cut spending on renovation and expansion projects that are already underway as the school year begins.

Quebec Federation of Teachers president Benoit Lacoursiere said the higher education minister sent a letter to the province's colleges in late July, capping infrastructure spending by as much as 50 per cent for the next two years.

"It's basically austerity again in higher education," he said.

The cuts are forcing schools to cancel or postpone construction projects and hold off on buying things like furniture.

"Even books in our college and universities libraries," said Lacoursiere.

It's similar news to what universities in the province received when they were forced to scrap renovation and construction projects due to cuts.

The Federation of CEGEPS is outraged.

"It's a real shockwave," the federation wrote in a statement. "At a time when we're experiencing the biggest increase in student numbers in 25 years, and when student enrolments are expected to rise by 20 per cent over the next 10 years, the government is putting the brakes on major projects."

The Dawson College Teachers' Union said it is assessing the impacts the cuts will have.

"The Dawson Teachers' Union promotes quality public education and meaningful investment in schools for the sake of our students and of our province," the DTU said. "When budgets are slashed well into an operating budget, especially, we condemn the dire imminent effects that it will surely have. We urge the government to reconsider its priorities and support students and teachers."

The new measure came just a few months after Quebec's auditor general reported that two-thirds of Quebec CEGEPs were in poor condition.

"We understand that the government is faced with financial constraints but to make a surprise announcement during the summer was unacceptable," said Vanier College in a statement. "A retroactive decision of this nature places our college in a very complicated financial situation in that we have important projects that are already underway and contractual obligations."

Higher Education Minister Pascal Dery defended the move, saying the government has increased infrastructure budgets for CEGEPS substantially in recent years.

"The money is there, but my concern is that there are too many projects, lots of projects," she said. "I cannot do everything at the same time. We need to manage, obviously, the public funding."

Lacoursiere says, however, that waiting isn't an option.

"There will be even more students on our campuses," he said. "If we want to have places for them, we must build now. Not in five years, not ten years.

CEGEP administrators are set to meet with Dery.