Community organizations are the focus of unprecedented attention in this budget, where they are allocated an additional $149 million this year, the equivalent of a 30% increase in government support over five years.
These organizations constitute “a cornerstone of the Quebec social safety net”, underlines the minister in the budget which also recognizes the crucial role they played during the pandemic with people who needed help.
These sums are intended to finance not only specific projects, but the very mission of the organizations, including salaries, rents and telephone and Internet costs. A choice that should be welcomed very favorably by the 5,000 community organizations in Quebec who have criticized the government for years for only funding new projects.
Even Québec solidaire had to recognize on Tuesday that it was unheard of in terms of community support. “It’s a step in the right direction,” conceded party co-leader Manon Massé, who also argues that the network was asking for four times more.
Taking note of the wave of feminicides and the recommendations of the Laurent Commission on the rights of the child, the government has ensured that the new funds particularly benefit organizations that intervene in sexual and conjugal violence (18.8 million more this year) and those that come to the aid of young people in difficulty, such as youth centers (5 million).
For more information on the Quebec budget
Quebec is also freeing up funds to finance new organizations ($54 million over five years) in three specific sectors: advocacy, immigration and services for young Anglophones.
A sign that the role of these organizations is not expected to diminish, the budget even released 1.5 million to “encourage volunteering among young people in schools”.
Finally, once again this year, the budget mentions the aging of the population, which is increasingly weighing on social services and caregivers. The latter will therefore be better supported via respite services and the L’Appui organization which comes to their aid (37.9 million).