Multi-year review of the 2018-2023 Administrative Agreement on the Management of the Quebec Fund for Social Initiatives within the Framework of the Alliances for Solidarity

The city of Montréal has been involved for several years in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. In this context, it has established a partnership with the Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité Sociale (MTESS), with which it has entered into several administrative agreements to fund projects. Under the latest City-MTESS agreement, signed in 2018 for the period 2018-2023, the Quebec government entrusted the City with the management of a total envelope of $50 million, or a budget of $10 million per year, with payments spread over five fiscal years. Projects funded under this agreement cover the following areas: universal accessibility, recreational support, seniors, Indigenous communities, gender equality, homelessness, social and economic integration for immigrants and youth, youth projects, integrated urban revitalization, food security, urban safety, family and early childhood support, neighbourhood tables. Universalia was commissioned to conduct a review covering two main objectives: to produce a portrait of the implementation of the Agreement over the period from April 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020; and to provide concrete recommendations on areas for improvement for the future implementation of the Agreement in Montreal. In particular, this review analyzes elements related to six components: (1) portrait of the organizational governance structure put in place in the framework of the management of the Agreement, at the central level and within certain boroughs and linked cities; (2) presentation of the consultation frameworks and processes for mobilizing local and regional actors around a global and integrated strategy to fight poverty; (3) portrait of the territories with a high concentration of poverty covered by the Agreement ; (4) analysis of the involvement and participation of people living in poverty and social exclusion in the implementation of the Agreement and the projects funded; (5) portrait of the process of submitting, analyzing and approving projects at the central level and at the level of certain boroughs; and (6) analysis of the budget management and the methods of distributing funds between the central city and the boroughs. The study used multiple data collection methods and a total of 51 individuals were consulted through 36 interviews and one focus group. The review developed recommendations for future implementation of the City-MTESS Agreement, regarding each of the six components studied.