Another budget, another missed opportunity to close Quebec’s 1.5 billion dollar employment gap

Québec, March 18, 2026 – The Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT) is disappointed following the announcement of the Government of Québec’s 2026–2027 Budget. The budget did not advance any targeted measures to address the employment needs of Québec’s English-speaking community, and existing employment measures funded by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les québécois d’expression anglaise(SRQEA) were not renewed.

“Investing in the employability of Quebec’s English-speaking community represents a $1.5 billion a year opportunity. Yet once again, we see no dedicated funding enabling our community to increase its contribution to the province’s economic growth,” said Nicholas Salter, Executive Director of the Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT).

PERT’s submission to Québec’s pre-budget consultations outlined strategic solutions to address persistent employment disparities and unlock the economic potential of English-speaking Quebecers. It called for investments in community-based employment services and improving access to French-language training. However, none of these measures were reflected in the 2026–2027 Budget.

“This budget did not move the needle and contains no indication our community’s employment is a provincial government priority,“ concluded Salter.

About PERT:

The Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT) is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on addressing the employment and employability challenges facing Québec’s English-speaking community.

Media Contact:

Chad Walcott
Director of Public Affairs
chad@pertquebec.ca
1-855-773-7885