Could Quebec function without the work of community organizations?
The answer is no. Absolutely not.
The province has approximately 8,000 community organizations, which employ more than 70,000 people. They work in all sectors of society. For the elderly and young people in difficulty. In mental health. Dependent. In francization. With women victims of violence, young families, people looking for work. They offer accompaniment, listening, food, clothing, home visits.
Community organizations are an essential cog in Québec society.
The report by our colleague Suzanne Colpron published last Sunday shows how essential their work is. In addition to its regular activities, the organization Entre Mamans et Papas helps 700 families, mostly Haitian asylum seekers. Migrants in survival mode who need everything: food, clothing, support. Without the work of this organization located in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, these families would be completely destitute.
In homelessness, the importance of community groups no longer needs to be demonstrated. We see it these days as we try to solve the problems of cohabitation at the Palais des Congrès in the run-up to COP15.
The truth is that the community intervenes where the state has withdrawn. He mends the meshes of a net which escapes more and more individuals.
And with the difficult economic situation, several organizations say they are helping clients who have never needed their services before.
In short, we ask a lot of them.
Are they given recognition commensurate with their work and their contribution? Again, the answer is no. Absolutely not.
Ah yes, we take the time to thank them. We repeat how valuable their work is. How important their contribution was during the pandemic.
“Words are cheap”, as the English say. Words are not enough. Community workers deserve budgets, salaries and working conditions commensurate with the importance of their work.
The average hourly wage in the nonprofit sector is $19.82 for women and $20.34 for men, according to 2018 data that will be updated soon. This is significantly lower than the average wage of $25.42 per hour for all of Quebec.
As for working conditions, they do not compare to those in the public sector: only 36% of community employees have access to a pension plan or an RRSP with employer contribution, while slightly more than a third (40%) benefit from a group insurance plan.
The labor shortage accentuates these disparities. Half of the organizations say they are having difficulty recruiting candidates and training the next generation.
The 2022-2027 government action plan, presented last May by Labor Minister Jean Boulet, provides $1.1 billion over five years for the community sector. It is insufficient. Organizations must supplement their funding with donations from private foundations and fundraising, which represents even more work for them.
And as if there weren’t enough challenges, many community organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to find housing at a reasonable cost. In Montreal, the rise in rents downtown and gentrification are forcing some to physically distance themselves from their field of intervention, which is absurd since their work is done above all “in the field”.
It is to be hoped that the support program provided for in the action plan, expected for next year, will solve this problem once and for all.
Let’s be consistent. If all the community organizations closed their doors tomorrow morning, it would be chaos. If we consider that their work is essential, offer them substantial conditions.