For the first time in Quebec, five blacksmiths are completing a diploma course specifically dedicated to working on built heritage, acquiring essential skills in reproduction, restoration and maintenance of architectural elements.
The cohort of the Attestation of Collegial Studies (AEC) in crafts and built heritage has come to an end.
Offered by Continuing Education and businesses at Cégep du Vieux Montréal, in collaboration with the Conseil des métiers d’art du Québec (CMAQ), this moment marks a historic milestone in Quebec. Provided in the Forges de Montréal workshops, this 510-hour training responds to a pressing need for qualified labor in a sector where know-how is rare, but essential to the preservation of collective heritage.
A success with no guarantee of a future
Despite the success of this cohort, the future of training remains fragile. The AEC in built heritage crafts does not currently benefit from any recurring funding, thus compromising the implementation of the next cohorts from the 2026–2027 college year.
In a context of budget cuts affecting CEGEPs, this uncertainty endangers the only diploma training in Quebec dedicated to the specialization of artisans in the restoration of built heritage.
Know-how to be preserved
The end of this cohort highlights both the success of the initiative and the fragility of the ecosystem that supports it. Without a dedicated and recognized training program, the transmission of traditional know-how is compromised, limiting the ability to intervene on heritage buildings and threatening the conservation of unique architectural elements. To ensure the continuity of this essential training, several avenues of action can be explored at the provincial and national levels:
• establish full recurrent funding by the Ministry of Culture and Communications and the Ministry of Higher Education; • strengthen partnerships with sectors related to built heritage; • integrate built heritage crafts into Red Seal programs; • develop structuring partnerships with the construction community.