BUDGET 2023-2024 - Press release no. 3 of 6 - $2.3 billion to invest in the potential of youth

QUÉBEC, March 21, 2023 /CNW/ - Education is the government's top priority. Budget 2023-2024 provides for additional investments of more than $2.3 billion over the next five years to help young people succeed, get Quebecers moving and foster student access, retention and graduation rates in higher education.

Because the government has set itself the goal of achieving the highest international standards in education, it will boost its efforts to support the success and independence of youth. In this regard, new initiatives totalling nearly $1.5 billion over the next five years will:

• improve student retention and success;
• improve the performance of the school network;
• make vocational training more attractive and address the labour shortage;
• accelerate maintenance of the school building inventory.

Investments of $449 million will be made to improve youth literacy and numeracy, which have declined due to the pandemic. Additional efforts will also be made to support students with special needs and student well-being, and to foster access to special educational projects. With these investments, the government also aims to promote culture and citizenship in Québec.

To improve the performance of the school system, the government will invest more than $240 million to support data access and digital transformation and to increase the efficiency of the network and of the Ministère de l'Éducation.

Moreover, investments totalling $200 million over five years will modernize vocational training to make it more attractive and encourage success. Various initiatives totalling close to $68 million are also planned to counter the labour shortage in education, notably by attracting and retaining experienced staff in the education system.

In addition, to accelerate maintenance of the school building inventory, additional financial support of $208 million over five years will be offered to school service centres and school boards to carry out maintenance work in order to prevent deterioration.

Initiatives totalling more than $88 million are also planned to get Quebecers moving through participation in recreational, sports and physical activities. They aim to improve accessibility and strengthen integrity in sport. The government is also continuing to develop the National Trail in Québec.

The government is also announcing additional investments of more than $717 million over the next five years to:

• financially support students;
• improve higher education graduation rates;
• enhance the culture of innovation in higher education and support the adoption of technological advances.

The temporary increase in living expenses for the Loans and Bursaries Program was scheduled to end this year. In the context of the rising cost of living, the government has decided to make this measure permanent. This renewal represents additional financial support of nearly $351 million over five years for approximately 80 000 students.

Initiatives totalling more than $275 million over the next five years will also allow for continued efforts to increase student graduation rates by facilitating educational pathways through the recognition of prior learning, promoting the regionalization of higher education, attracting more international students, and providing educational institutions with additional space.

In addition, $91 million in investments are planned over the next five years to enhance the culture of innovation and research and to support the transition of information resources to cloud computing.

"Quality education services contribute to the collective enrichment of Québec. Our government's objective is to offer our young people an educational pathway that meets their potential. We are investing so that they have the necessary tools to achieve their ambitions."

Eric Girard, Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers

All the details on Budget 2023-2024: Québec.ca/en-budget.

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre des Finances et ministre responsable des Relations avec les Québécois d'expression anglaise