Outaouais school boards and service centres, like those across the province, have been dealt a significant last-minute blow only two months before their next academic year is set to begin.

In June, Quebec’s Minister of Education Bernard Drainville announced his department would be cutting $570 million from the province’s education budget, which this year will see an increase of five per cent rather than eight per cent, as previous years have seen.

Now, the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB), the Hauts-Bois-de-l’Outaouais school service centre (CSSHBO), and the Portage-de-l’Outaouais school service centre (CSSPO), the organizations responsible for managing Pontiac’s English and French schools are scrambling to find ways to meet their share of these cuts, after much of the planning for the upcoming school year has already been completed.

The WQSB has been ordered to cut $3.6 million from its operating budget of $146 million for the 2025-2026 school year. The province’s original demand was for $7.2 million, but $3.5 million of those cuts would only apply if the board had failed to respect the staffing allowances imposed by the province in April, which it believes it has respected.

The French school service centres aren’t fairing any better. The CSSPO has been ordered to cut almost $11.4 million from its 2025-2026 budget, and the CSSHBO is looking at a much smaller yet still significant cut of about $1.3 million.

Along with these cuts, the province is prohibiting boards and service centres from submitting budget deficits, or from using their surpluses to balance their budgets. Usually, 15 per cent of a surplus is allowed to be used in a given year.

“We understand that this year’s smaller increase is a challenge, but the Ministry will continue to work with the network to preserve student services as much as possible while being more efficient in managing the education budget, which is $23.5 billion this year,” Ministry of Education spokesperson Esther Chouinard wrote in an email to THE EQUITY.

This is the second time in the past year the province has enforced cuts to its education system. In December, Drainville ordered boards to recuperate $90 million in spending that had already been allocated across the province.

Then, as in this latest round, Drainville said cuts should not affect student services. But the leaders of local school boards say this will be challenging, at best.

“To say that we’re not going to impact students in any way, it’s not possible,” said WQSB director general George Singfield during the board’s June 25 meeting.

Singfield said, as is common in most boards and service centres across the province, about 80 per cent of the WQSB’s operating budget goes to paying salaries, most of which are protected by collective agreements.

“That leaves you with 20 per cent of $146 million. To cut from that, it’s very challenging.”

Board chair Joanne Labadie used stronger words.

“You can’t cut half a billion out of education without it trickling down on the backs of students,” she said. “The government appears to be following a slash-and-burn process to our budgets, and waiting to see where the pieces fall.”

In a French email to parents, CSSPO interim director general Stéphane Lacasse had a similar message.

“These cuts will have a significant impact on all services, including those offered directly to students,” his email read.

“Our priority remains the success and well-being of our students. We will do our utmost to minimize the impact on student services, but the scale of the announced cuts means that we must consider all possible options.”

Specialized services likely first to go, says Fortin

While boards remain tight-lipped about how exactly they will be able to recuperate this money, as most of them are in the middle of figuring it out, Pontiac MNA André Fortin said the school boards he’s spoken with following this news have indicated cutting their specialized services is perhaps their only option.

“There’s only so much they can cut when they ask their government to reduce their budgets by such substantial amounts,” Fortin said.

“My understanding is that it’s going to have an impact on all of the specialized services that students are getting, whether that be a speech therapist or a school counselor, it’s the type of professionals that are needed for the kids who need a helping hand in school [ . . . ] Quite obviously, with these unprecedented cuts, the government will be taking away some of the help that’s given to those who are most in need.”

Lacasse, in his email to parents, said the cuts will force a large reorganization of the services it delivers, without providing details.

“We are currently analyzing the impact these new budget rules will have on our services, our schools and our adult education and vocational training centers,” he wrote.

Singfield said the board will be working with principals to determine best strategies for meeting the budgetary requirements, and will be voting on a new budget at the board’s next meeting at the end of August, just in time for the school year to begin.

He said while he finds the cuts concerning, he feels they offer an opportunity to optimize the board’s budget.

“Does it all make sense to me? No. Are there areas where we can be more cost efficient? Absolutely. Have we been maximizing the use of our funds in all areas? Probably not,” he said.

“We need to take the time that we need to do this properly. We will be vigilant and go through all of our budget lines, and we’ll make recommendations and see where it brings us.”

He said he is looking into what would be involved in creating a foundation to help with fundraising efforts to ensure all WQSB students have equitable access to programming.

“My even-keeled approach should not be confused with me not being concerned and upset, but what I don’t want to do is create panic,” Singfield emphasized. “But it does feel unfair. Definitely.”