More than a dozen public employment agencies in Montreal to lose funding in two months

More than a dozen public employment agencies in Montreal will lose their funding by the end of June.

According to Quebec’s ministry of employment, the province is facing $125 million in budget cuts from the federal government, forcing the ministry to make “difficult decisions.”

These funding cuts mean the province can no longer provide financial assistance for 13 employment services.

Among those affected is Le Boulot Vers, which offers temporary employment and life skills training to vulnerable youth.

The employment service builds and sells wooden furniture to shelters, school service centres, and other community organizations.

“Losing 50 per cent of our budget, we won’t be able to function,” says executive director Jean-François Lapointe.

Lapointe says funding for the program is roughly $1.1 million.

Since the last three years, Boulot Vers has doubled its sales. Last year’s revenue was at $702,000.

Lapointe says the funding cut does not make sense, given the success of the program.

“By cutting a million, they are losing a million that we auto-generate,” said Lapointe.

In the coming months, Lapointe says he will be lobbying for continued funding.

Current employees have voiced their disappointment as well, including 17-year-old Yassim Elbenna.

“It has helped a lot of people, it helped me,” said Elbenna. He says without the program he would have been “lost.”

For former employee Audrey Julien, the program gave her direction. She worked there in 2020 and says she was able to find a job in the landscaping industry soon after.

“Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. I have a stable job. I have an apartment, and I can rely on myself,” said Julien.

She says the opportunity provided her with the skills she needed to succeed in the workforce.

“I have more self-confidence.”