Universities will have to fend for themselves to mop up their deficit. Quebec does not provide additional sums to help them.
Posted at 11:07 a.m.
Arrested in the corridors of the National Assembly, the minister of Higher education, Pascale Déry, reacted Thursday to the financial difficulties that several universities are going through.
Read the article “Universities in red”
For the first time in more than 10 years, the University of Montreal will notably carry out compressions to limit its deficit projected to nearly $ 10 million.
“I am very aware of the challenges faced by universities currently. We are in a slightly more difficult context, ”admitted the minister.
Questioned to know if she planned to fly to their aid, she recalled that the funding granted to universities has increased substantially since 2018. Their operating budget was notably raised by 26 %, she said.
-“They have the room for maneuver to adapt and they will have to adapt,” said Pascale Déry, adding that she “will be there to accompany them”.
In its provincial budget presented in March, Quebec however imposed a serious brake on the expenses granted to universities.
The funding planned for the next year is not even indexed according to the salary increase granted to public service staff.
According to the University of Montreal, budgetary restrictions in higher education force it “to do better with less”.
In the last days, several establishments have adopted a budget in red ink as it. In 2025-2026, the University of Sherbrooke projects a deficit of $ 22 million. For their part, the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi and the University of Quebec in Rimouski anticipate a respective shortfall of 3.6 and 4.7 million dollars.
With the collaboration of Vincent Larin, The press
