Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

As churches across the Outaouais stand empty or in slow decline, the Quebec government is overhauling
how it manages religious heritage properties. The current strategy, in place since the 1990s, is being
revised in response to rising upkeep costs, an accelerating pace of closures, and a steadily secularizing
population.

A key influence behind the shift is the Statistics Canada study Religiosity in Canada and its evolution
from 1985 to 2019 , based on the General Social Survey. The study found that approximately 762 Catholic
churches in Quebec—nearly 28% of the 2,746 in existence in 2003—have since been closed and
demolished, abandoned, or repurposed. Between 2003 and 2013 alone, 285 churches were converted for
new uses, and 40 were demolished.

More recent census data from 2021 shows the trend continuing. The proportion of Quebecers reporting no
religious affiliation rose to 27.3%, up from just 5.8% in 2001. Over the same period, the percentage of
Christians dropped from 90% to 64.8%. Weekly mass attendance has fallen dramatically—from around
88% in the late 1950s to roughly 2% by 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic also sharply reduced
participation in group religious activities across the province.

In response to these changes, Quebec’s Minister of Culture and Communications, Mathieu Lacombe,
launched a year-long policy review in spring 2024. The effort is being led by former deputy minister
Sylvie Barcelo. The revised framework will prioritize heritage interventions based on urgency, safety
concerns, and the exceptional cultural value of buildings. “The current strategy is no longer viable given
that the requests far exceed our investment capacity,” Lacombe stated, adding that urgent cases will
continue to receive support.

To date, no specific churches in the Outaouais have been identified for priority intervention. The Ministry
has said that all projects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and that funding will remain subject to
government approval. Property owners are being encouraged to contact the Ministry for guidance under
Quebec’s Cultural Heritage Act, but there have been no announcements regarding regional consultation,
funding allocations, or implementation timelines in the Outaouais.

Since the spring, approximately 20 organizations have been consulted, including municipalities, religious
groups, and nonprofit organizations focused on church requalification. While none of these have been
named publicly, the Ministry has reported unanimous agreement among stakeholders that the current
approach is no longer adequate. The Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec is expected to play a
central role in the province-wide strategy, though its involvement in the Outaouais specifically has not yet
been detailed.

Photo: Quebec is revamping its approach to preserving religious heritage buildings amid widespread
closures and declining church attendance, but communities in the Outaouais are still waiting for clarity on
whether local sites will be included in the province’s plans. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmilo