Dawson College expansion project faces ‘serious setback’ as province changes course

The expansion of Dawson College had been in the works for years, but now the province has taken a U-turn with the project a source of contention in Quebec's political sphere.

Dawson College has “suffered a serious setback” in its expansion plans after a “hastily called” meeting with the province’s higher education minister last week, the Montreal-based institution said in an internal memo.

Diane Gauvin, the director-general of the English-language CEGEP, wrote about the meeting in a letter issued Sunday.

She said Higher Education Minister Danielle McCann “informed the college that its infrastructure project would not go forward” last Friday. Gauvin said she was “extremely disappointed” by the decision.

“The government has chosen to prioritize, in her words, ‘francophone’ students,” Gauvin wrote. “She urged Dawson to explore other options, such as leasing.”

Valérie Chamula, a spokesperson for McCann, confirmed the Higher Education Ministry met with college officials last week and asked them to work on “alternative options.” A final decision on whether the expansion will be shelved will be made in the spring, she added.

Dawson College, which is located in downtown Montreal, has plans to build a new pavilion due to a lack of available space. The expansion has been in the works for about seven years, according to the institution.

In 2020, Premier François Legault put forth a sweeping infrastructure bill to revive the province’s economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill aimed to fast-track several projects, including Dawson’s expansion.

The project, however, has been a source of contention within Quebec’s political sphere. The Parti Québécois has questioned why that money is being put forth to develop the college when it could be used to bolster French-language CEGEPs.