News

Québec City — At the invitation of the president of the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) and mayor of Mascouche, Guillaume Tremblay, over 30 organizations have joined forces to send a clear message to the governments of Québec and Canada: Québec can’t afford to lose immigrants who have already settled in the province.

These organizations, representing municipalities, the business community, workers, higher education and several key sectors of our economy, are denouncing the significant impacts of recent immigration decisions by the governments of Québec and Canada.

Urgent measures are called for

• Government of Québec: immediately introduce a clause acknowledging the acquired rights of those cast adrift by the abolition of the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (“Québec experience program,” or PEQ).
• Government of Canada: ease the pressure by renewing temporary permits for people already in Québec, particularly those who are here under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, while making it possible to recruit people in sectors with the most critical needs.

“The blue hearts campaign brings together voices from across Québec to say that immigrants are part of our communities and they are essential. This mobilization is a historic moment. We can’t leave them in their current state of uncertainty without solutions. The impacts are already being felt in our living environments. Both levels of government must work together and act responsibly, because the clock is ticking for thousands of people. We are calling for immediate solutions to give everyone some breathing room.”
– Guillaume Tremblay, president of the UMQ and mayor of Mascouche

“Our regions can’t afford to lose the people who are already contributing to their vitality. As we face demographic decline, the government has a duty to provide them with clear prospects and to keep its word by ending the uncertainty about their future in our communities.”
– Jacques Demers, president, FQM, mayor of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley and warden for the regional county municipality (MRC) of Memphrémagog

“Restrictions to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program imposed by Ottawa, along with Québec’s reduction in immigration thresholds and abolition of the PEQ, have plunged businesses that employ foreign workers into uncertainty. Restricting access to these skilled workers when 1.4 million jobs are expected to be vacant in Québec by 2033 makes no economic sense. Companies are already being forced to cancel contracts, put investments on hold and scale back production because of a labour shortage. Both levels of government need to act quickly to avoid dragging down the economy of Québec and its regions.”
– Véronique Proulx, president and CEO, FCCQ

“These are workers who have been here for months, in some cases years. They’ve integrated, speak or are learning French, pay taxes, are involved in their communities and contribute to the vitality of Québec regions. Forcing them to leave wouldn’t just be unfair, it would be profoundly counterproductive.”
– Robert Comeau, president, APTS; Martin Trudel, third vice-president, SPGQ; Luc Vachon, president, CSD; Michel Girard, vice-president, SFPQ; Caroline Senneville, president, CSN; Daniel Cloutier, vice-president, FTQ and Québec director of Unifor; Mélanie Hubert, president, FAE; Isabelle Trépanier, general secretary, FIQ; and Pascal Côté, third vice-president, Centrale des syndicats du Québec

“According to a recent survey by the CFIB, 56% of small and medium-sized businesses are concerned about the effects of reduced immigration in their region. They are almost unanimous in calling on Québec and Ottawa to collaborate better. We’ve had enough of seeing the two levels of government impose restrictions, pass the buck and delay decisions, which could put jobs at risk. It’s time to establish a genuine pathway to permanent residency for the workers who are already here and contributing to our society.” – François Vincent, vice-president for Québec, CFIB

“Jean-François Roberge has pulled off quite a feat, bringing together mayors, entrepreneurs, unions and students to denounce his ill-conceived immigration reform. Even his party’s leadership candidates have distanced themselves from it. These individuals, who are already integrated, studying and working, who speak French and who are a source of strength for Québec, deserve better. He needs to fix the harm that has been done, act now and offer a more humane immigration approach with the PEQ and an acquired rights clause.”
– Flora Dommanget, president, Québec Student Union

“Terminating the PEQ Graduates stream has broken a tool that was working. Every year, students were choosing Québec, learning French, integrating to CEGEPs and putting down roots in Québec regions, notably thanks to access to the PEQ Graduates stream. They met very real labour needs and contributed to the economic, social and cultural vitality of our communities. Removing – midstream – a clear path to pursue their careers here has created instability and broken trust. We are calling for the reinstatement of the PEQ Graduates stream and the implementation of fair transitional measures for people who chose Québec.”
– Marie Montpetit, president and CEO, Fédération des cégeps

“Recent restrictions to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program are directly undermining productivity, competitiveness and growth for Québec’s small and medium-sized businesses. Depriving businesses of essential, specialized workers slows production, jeopardizes contracts and weakens regional economies, while needlessly plunging established workers into uncertainty. Without a clause for acquired rights or transitional measures, Québec risks major economic losses. It’s urgent to offer a predictable framework that reflects the reality of businesses.”
– Jennifer Poiré, president and CEO, Castech/Plessitech Group and spokesperson for the Alliance main-d’oeuvre étrangère

“The social economy depends on principles of inclusion, solidarity and management by communities. The proposed reform of the PEQ goes against these core values and undermines efforts by a wide range of civil society actors, whether they are developing affordable housing, providing care to vulnerable people, creating spaces for community activities or otherwise contributing to the full integration of newcomers to Québec.”
– Béatrice Alain, executive director, Chantier de l’économie sociale

“Éducation internationale is joining this mobilization effort because coherent immigration policies are essential to the success of the school system and vocational training centres: to train the skilled workers that employers need in every Québec region.”
– Lysiane van der Knaap, general director, Éducation internationale

“Québec’s hotel industry is facing a crisis that is both operational and human. Immigrants who work in the industry are at the heart of our teams and ensure our capacity to welcome guests and maintain the quality of services in every region of Québec. Creating uncertainty for them undermines our operations, slows our growth and increases the pressure on teams that are already stretched thin. We need to offer them clear, humane and sustainable prospects to ensure the stability of our industry and the strength of Québec’s tourism economy. We need to act urgently to protect these talents who are already contributing so much to Québec.”
– Véronyque Tremblay, president and CEO, Association Hôtellerie du Québec