QC PSE institutions prepare for looming budget cuts

Quebec’s PSE institutions are bracing themselves for looming cuts to the provincial budget for education. QC Premier Phillippe Couillard recently said that the province’s financial situation is worse than had been anticipated. “Instead of a deficit of $1.75 billion for 2014–15, we are facing a deficit of $5.8 billion. So we have to make a major effort and, naturally, everyone has to participate,” said Couillard. The cuts have yet to be confirmed, but McGill University says that it is prepared. “We had anticipated that the (Quebec) budget would not have the kind of resources that had been talked about earlier. The figures are not what we would like to see, but we had prepared for them. We are not in a crisis situation,” said McGill Principal Suzanne Fortier. McGill is current reviewing the Règles budgétaires, a document distributed earlier this month to institutions that outlines spending details. QC’s PSE leaders are planning to meet with government officials to discuss the extent of the funding cuts and to clarify some points. Neither the results of the review process nor the meeting with the government is expected to happen for several weeks. Montreal Gazette | McGill News