Montreal Schools Face Staffing Crisis as Expanded Secularism Law Leads to Firings

The landscape of Quebec’s public education system is undergoing a turbulent shift as the provincial government’s expanded secularism law, known as Bill 94, begins to claim the jobs of school employees across the Montreal region.

Just months after its adoption, the impact of the legislation is being felt in school hallways, cafeterias, and daycares, where dozens of staff members have already been fired, suspended, or forced to resign over the wearing of religious symbols.

Bill 94, which was adopted in October 2025, represents a significant expansion of the province’s landmark secularism law, Bill 21.

While the original 2019 legislation focused on public employees in positions of authority—such as teachers, principals, police officers, and judges—Bill 94 extends these prohibitions to include all school staff who interact with students.

This includes a broad swath of the workforce, from school-run daycare educators and lunch monitors to secretaries, janitors, and even parent volunteers.

A Growing Wave of Job Losses

The human cost of the legislation is becoming increasingly clear. According to recent reports from school service centres, the Montreal area is seeing a steady exodus of employees.

At the Centre de services scolaire (CSS) des Mille-Îles, eight staff members were reportedly fired and four others resigned after refusing to remove religious symbols.

In Laval, the situation is even more pronounced, with approximately 40 employees placed on authorized unpaid leave and five resignations.

The Montreal Association of School Principals has warned that these figures may only be the beginning.

Association president Kathleen Legault noted that hundreds of other employees across the greater Montreal region stand to lose their positions as enforcement ramps up.

These losses are occurring at a time when the Quebec education system is already grappling with a severe labor shortage, leaving administrators struggling to fill gaps in essential services like student supervision and childcare.

The Closing Window of "Acquired Rights"

One of the most contentious aspects of Bill 94 is the strictness of its "acquired rights" clause.

While the law technically allows employees hired before the legislation was tabled to keep their religious symbols, the government set the cutoff date as March 19, 2025—the day the bill was first introduced, rather than the day it became law.

This retroactive application means that any employee hired between March and October 2025, or any existing employee who changed positions during that window, is ineligible for the exemption.

For many, a simple promotion or a move to a different school within the same board was enough to strip them of their right to wear a hijab, kippah, or turban at work.

Political and Personal Defenses

The provincial government has remained firm in its stance.

Bernard Drainville, a senior figure in the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) who tabled the legislation as education minister, characterized the departures as a matter of personal choice.

Speaking to reporters, Drainville stated that employees had the option to remove their symbols during working hours.

"They decided not to respect the law and therefore, it's their decision," he said. "Unfortunately, they have to bear the consequences of their own personal choice."

However, critics and those affected tell a different story.

Ruba Ghazal, co-spokesperson for Québec Solidaire, called the law "discriminatory" and expressed concern for the students who are losing familiar faces and support systems.

For staff like Mariem Gharnougui, a daycare educator who lost her job in February, the law feels like a direct attack on her identity.

Affected parents have also voiced heartbreak.

Sabaah Khan, a longtime volunteer who wears a hijab, was recently informed she can no longer drive students to basketball tournaments or assist in the school library.

Looking Ahead: The Supreme Court and Bill 9

The unfolding crisis in Montreal schools is set against the backdrop of a major legal battle.

On March 23, the Supreme Court of Canada is scheduled to hear a challenge to the original Bill 21.

The outcome of this case could have profound implications for the validity of Bill 94 and the province’s use of the notwithstanding clause to shield secularism laws from Charter challenges.

Meanwhile, the Quebec government is already moving toward further restrictions.

A new piece of legislation, Bill 9, seeks to extend the religious symbols ban into subsidized private daycares (CPEs), prohibit prayer spaces in universities, and limit religious food offerings in public institutions.

As the provincial government doubles down on its secularism mandate, the rift between state policy and the lived reality of Quebec’s diverse workforce continues to widen.

This video features a personal account from a specialized educator who discusses the direct impact of Bill 94 on school staff and the emotional toll the legislation has on those affected.