(Quebec) Two-thirds of CEGEP buildings are in poor condition, according to the Auditor General of Quebec.
In her annual report submitted Thursday, Guylaine Leclerc also warns that the means planned to “reverse their significant deterioration” are insufficient.
Thus, 608.6 million are planned for asset maintenance by 2027-2028, while 1.7 billion would be necessary, she underlines.
“The situation is such that certain infrastructures had to be closed,” she wrote, giving the example of the Cégep de La Pocatière.
Last May, one of the CEGEP’s student residences was evacuated “due to mold that developed following water infiltration, and the threat of collapse of an exterior brick wall” .
The CEGEP swimming pool, the only one in the region, notes the auditor, has also remained closed for a year due to leaks.
“The more the condition of buildings deteriorates, the greater the risk of a breakdown leading to a drop in performance or a shutdown of services,” she warns in her report.
A defect that is not corrected in a timely manner risks causing others and requiring much more extensive work.
Guylaine Leclerc, general auditor
“For example, a leaking roof can eventually damage walls and floors. After a certain threshold of deterioration, the building sometimes has to be rebuilt instead of repaired,” she adds.
Long and inefficient process
Some CEGEPs are faced with a significant space deficit, while others have a surplus.
“However, the choice of certain expansion projects does not adequately consider the real space needs,” underlines Mme Leclerc. The process put in place by Quebec to select projects is “long and inefficient”.
To carry out its analysis, the Ministry of Higher Education uses the “maximum number of students authorized in the school estimate rather than the actual number”, which, according to the auditor, causes “inconsistencies”.
The Cégep de Saint-Félicien, for example, saw its request for expansion authorized by Quebec in 2022-2023, even though its numbers do not justify it, she notes.
Meanwhile, the ministry refuses to finance the expansion of certain overcrowded establishments in large centers, such as Cégep John Abbott.
“In fact, out of all 48 CEGEPs, no project is envisaged for four of them which present a significant space deficit, while the planning of expansion projects has been authorized in six CEGEPs which present a surplus of space,” she writes.
Minister Déry reacts
Questioned on this subject in the National Assembly on Thursday, the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, recognized “certain shortcomings” related to the management of the college network’s infrastructure.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
The Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry
She implied that she had inherited problems from the past. “I know very well that maintaining assets, for other previous governments, was not a very sexy issue,” she said.
“It was first come, first served, so we set up calls for projects to ensure we had a good picture of the situation. »
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has made substantial investments in the Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI) for the maintenance of assets, the minister also argued.
“The government is aware of the catching up that needs to be done,” she declared, assuring that “there is nothing arbitrary in the choice of what we do to maintain assets. […] It’s an extremely rigorous process that we follow,” she added.