{"id":6841,"date":"2026-01-15T16:44:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T21:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alternatives.ca\/?p=6841"},"modified":"2026-01-15T16:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T21:44:08","slug":"mrif-freeze-subsidies-persists-quebec-international-cooperation-organizations-at-an-impasse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alternatives.ca\/en\/2026\/01\/mrif-freeze-subsidies-persists-quebec-international-cooperation-organizations-at-an-impasse\/","title":{"rendered":"MRIF freeze subsidies persists: Quebec international cooperation organizations at an impasse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--StartFragment --><\/p>\n<h5 class=\"pf0\">Montreal, December 2, 2025 \u2014 Despite the Quebec Treasury Board&#8217;s announcement of the unfreezing of subsidies, the Minist\u00e8re des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie (MRIF) is maintaining the suspension of financial assistance payments, jeopardizing the activities of dozens of Quebec international cooperation organizations (OCIs in French) and compromising their commitments to partners around the world.<\/h5>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><strong><span class=\"cf0\">Un d\u00e9gel qui exclut le MRIF<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\">A ministerial directive has suspended, indefinitely, the disbursement of financial assistance in all sectors of activity of the MRIF. This measure directly jeopardizes the disbursement of the second tranche of subsidies from the Qu\u00e9bec sans fronti\u00e8res (QSF) 2025-2026 program for organizations that have already submitted their complete and compliant reporting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><strong>Dozens of organizations threatened, thousands of people deprived of services<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\">This suspension has direct repercussions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"pf0\"><strong>on ongoing projects<\/strong> in key areas such as human rights, economic and social development, empowerment of women and youth, environmental protection and the fight against climate change, agriculture and food sovereignty, as well as health and education;<\/li>\n<li class=\"pf0\"><strong>for local partners and volunteers<\/strong> whose situation is also directly affected by this decision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pf0\">This decision, taken without notice by the ministry, jeopardizes nearly 80 jobs in Quebec and 200 positions with international partners, while affecting more than 34,400 people who could be deprived of essential services.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\">\u201cThis situation is unacceptable. The organizations funded by the QSF program have committed funds for the implementation of their projects according to the agreements signed with the MRIF. This freeze, if it is prolonged, not only jeopardizes ongoing projects, but also the maintenance of jobs and the credibility of our organizations with their international partners,\u201d says Mich\u00e8le Asselin, Executive Director of AQOCI.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\">\u201cThe suspension of this support directly jeopardizes our ability to continue our activities. It also threatens the continuity of our mission, which is based on 25 years of expertise in the fight against child exploitation. Without this essential pillar, our entire organization is weakened, with significant human, social and organizational repercussions,\u201d explains the organization International Aid for Children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><strong>An urgent call<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\">AQOCI is asking the Quebec government to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"pf0\"><strong>Proceed immediately with the disbursement<\/strong> of the second tranche of QSF 2025-2026 grants to organizations that have submitted their compliant reporting.<\/li>\n<li class=\"pf0\"><strong>Honoring contractual commitments<\/strong> by guaranteeing the reimbursement of amounts already advanced by the OCIs within the framework of their projects. This guarantee is essential given the precarious financial situation of several local partners and the fact that many organizations depend on this funding to balance their annual budget.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"pf0\">\u201cThe prolonged freeze on subsidies sends a worrying message about Quebec\u2019s commitment to international solidarity. Our organizations are essential players in Quebec\u2019s international policy and deserve to be treated with respect and predictability. We call on the Minist\u00e8re des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie, Christopher Skeete, to act quickly to resolve this crisis,\u201d concludes Mich\u00e8le Asselin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"cf1\">\u2013 30 \u2014<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><strong><span class=\"cf1\">For information<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><span class=\"cf1\">Katrie<\/span><span class=\"cf1\"> Gagn<\/span><span class=\"cf0\">\u00e9, Communications officer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><span class=\"cf0\">Association qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise des organismes de coop\u00e9ration internationale (AQOCI)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\"><span class=\"cf0\">email : kgagne@aqoci.qc.ca| Phone. : 514 871-1086 # 108<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--EndFragment --><\/p>\n<p class=\"pf0\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Montreal, December 2, 2025 \u2014 Despite the Quebec Treasury Board&#8217;s announcement of the unfreezing of subsidies, the Minist\u00e8re des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie (MRIF) is maintaining the suspension of financial assistance payments, jeopardizing the activities of dozens of Quebec international cooperation organizations (OCIs in French) and compromising their commitments to partners around the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":6746,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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