Quebec merges $38M school book budget into broader spending pool amid bookseller backlash

As Quebecers celebrate the province's biggest book-buying day today, August 12, the publishing and bookselling industry is mobilizing against a government decision that could reshape how schools stock their libraries.

In July, the Coalition Avenir Québec government eliminated the $38 million budget allocation specifically earmarked for school service centers to purchase books. The amount will now be merged into a larger, consolidated budget that also funds sports programs, field trips, and other school activities—meaning books must now compete with other priorities for funding.

The Quebec Booksellers Association (ALQ) expressed deep concern, warning that "access to books will have to compete with a multitude of other school-related needs, at the risk of leading to a significant drop in purchases." To raise awareness, hundreds of independent bookstores are distributing bookmarks today reminding people that "books in school are not a discretionary expense, but a fundamental tool for educational success."

The decision has drawn criticism beyond the retail sector. Eight former Quebec ministers—including those of Culture and Communications, and Education—signed an open letter published Wednesday in La Presse, warning of "serious" consequences for young people's development. "In a context where opportunities for dialogue are becoming scarce, reading remains one of the few vehicles capable of bringing citizens together around a shared narrative, reflection, or question," the letter read, signed by Luc Fortin, Louise Beaudoin, Agnès Maltais, Line Beauchamp, Michelle Courchesne, Christine St-Pierre, Maka Kotto, and Hélène David.

The "I'm Buying a Quebec Book!" day, launched in 2014 by authors Amélie Dubé and Patrice Cazeault, has grown into an annual celebration supported by more than 125 independent bookstores represented by Les Libraires. This year's events include author meet-and-greets and book signings across the province.