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Mayors and advocates across the province are citing the need for immigrants in Quebec’s regions to prevent what they call a “phase of decline” after the government abolished a popular pathway to permanent residency.
In November, Quebec scrapped the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ), leaving thousands of foreign workers unsure of their future in the province.
Antonin Valiquette, the mayor of the Magdalen Islands, is among the dozens of Quebec mayors with the Federation of Quebec Municipalities who signed an open letter, published in La Presse Thursday, about the effect of this decision on municipalities.
The federation’s president, Jacques Demers, wrote in Thursday’s letter the government is locking itself into a “sterile policy clearly not based on facts” and that a majority of regions are now entering what he referred to as “a phase of decline in the absence of sustained immigration.”
He called on the Quebec government to demonstrate “true leadership.”
On Saturday, protests against the abolishment of the PEQ are planned across the province, in Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Montreal, Chicoutimi, Rimouski, Trois-Rivières and Gatineau.
‘They’re part of our community,’ says mayor
It’s no secret the regions need people to keep communities alive, says Valiquette.
He acknowledges moving to his community of over 12,000 people, located in the Gulf of the Saint Lawrence, is no small feat. Yet, his municipality is one of hundreds across Quebec relying on foreign workers — who have become part of the town’s fabric.
The Magdalen Islands are among the communities impacted by the end of the PEQ program. (Radio-Canada)
“They’re part of our community. They have colleagues, they have employers,” he said.
“[A kid] told me that she was nervous to lose a friend in her school. And that is true for the adults too. They made friends.”
Now, these people are left in limbo. For thousands of newcomers, the change represents shattered dreams of settling in Quebec and leaves them feeling betrayed and anxious about their future.
Now, the sole route for immigrants wishing to settle in the province for economic reasons is the recently launched Skilled Worker Selection Program, which is known by its French initials PSTQ.
Under the program, the government assesses the education, French-language proficiency and work experience of temporary residents using a 1,200-point scale. The higher the score, the greater the likelihood that immigrants will be invited to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate, which eventually leads to permanent residency.
Keeping a promise
In late January, Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge said his government will prioritize those who studied in Quebec and who work in certain sectors, like health care and education, when selecting permanent residents under the program.
“It’s all good and well on paper, but how does it work exactly? We don’t know,” said Valiquette. “Why not keep the program, the promise that we made?”
WATCH | Here’s who gets priority under new program:
Quebec to prioritize applicants outside Montreal under new permanent residency program
Jean-François Roberge, Quebec’s immigration minister, has come under fire after cutting an essential pathway to permanent residency in 2025, the Quebec Experience Program, also known by its French acronym PEQ. He’s attempting to calm the situation with a new program that will prioritize applicants working in specific fields, among other criteria.
Whether it’s daycare workers, health-care workers or education, these people are essential for growing communities, says Jody Stone, mayor of Stanstead.
“The most important thing to remember is these people that have been welcomed into our communities have become part of our community,” he said. “They become part of us, as an identity.”
He says it’s hard to see people being pushed out or feeling abandoned “for doing what they’ve been asked to do, to come and give us a hand.”
Seeing the support from people across the province gives Sabrina Kouider-Philippon a lot of confidence. She moved from France when she was recruited under the PEQ program to work as a nurse in Quebec.
Now, she’s one of the spokespeople for the group called Le Quebec, c’est nous aussi, which means “We are also part of Quebec” in English — the group planning protests Saturday across the province
“We feel things are going in the right direction, because all of society is supporting us,” she said, adding even her patients and families she cares for are showing support.
“Everyone is together on this topic. Not just us,” she said.
