Quebec schools to receive $2.3B in funding for renovations
Education Minister calls project a 'major catch-up operation'
Quebec's Education Ministry is investing $2.3 billion in school renovations over the next three years, the minister announced Sunday.
Education Minister Jean-François Roberge has promised to restore 60 per cent of schools across the province by 2022.
"This is excellent news not only for students, but also for teachers and for all school staff," said Roberge, who was speaking in Montreal East.
He said the funds are a 155.7 per cent increase from the previous year. The $2.3 billion is in addition to the $1.7 billion for school construction and expansion announced earlier this year.
CAQ treasury board president and the MNA for La Prairie Christian Dubé was also at the announcement.
"Eighteen-thousand schools will be affected," Dubé said. "They're old, and we need to improve them."
Schools from Montreal's five school boards will get $624 million of the funds.
The amounts for each of the other regions of Quebec will be announced in the coming weeks, and the complete list of renovation projects by school will be available next fall, the minister said.
Premier François Legault's election platform included promises of upgrades to schools.
With files from La Presse Canadienne