SOPHIE DEMERS
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
QUEBEC – Quebec presented its $165 billion budget for 2025-2026 on March 25, predicting a $13 billion deficit, one of the largest in the province’s history.
“This budget is a real head-scratcher, because while the Quebec government is running the largest deficit in its history, they’re also decreasing services in healthcare and education. Usually when you run a bigger deficit, it’s because you’re adding services, but this doesn’t appear to be the case. Quebecers are right to ask where their money is going. If we’re indebting ourselves more while getting less services, something isn’t right with the way we’re governed by Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ),” said André Fortin, Pontiac-Aylmer MNA.
The education budget saw a 2% increase, which isn’t enough to cover the 2.5% increase in salary education professionals will receive this year. According to Fortin, this means less money for everyday services in schools as well as less specialized services.
“The government is simply not investing what it should in the two priority areas I hear about in this region: healthcare and education,” said Fortin.
The budget also features $4.1 billion over five years to support the economy, including helping businesses affected by the tariffs with loans and financing for initiatives that help shoppers identify Quebec products.
“The CAQ government can say we’re in this situation because of the potential tariffs, but in truth, the $13.6 billion deficit is a structural deficit that’s been accumulated through years of poor decision making. When they came into power seven years ago, they were given a $7 billion surplus. They’ve turned that into a $13.6 billion deficit,” said Fortin, highlighting the CAQ lost $270 million by investing in Northvolt, made other failed investments and gave tax cuts for “people in very comfortable financial situations”.
Fortin says the province’s Liberal Party feels there was a missed opportunity to make more targeted investments in agriculture, especially with the US tensions making Canadians want to purchase local products and food.
For housing, the budget outlines $228 million over three years for maintaining low-rental housing. The CAQ also plans to build 23,000 housing units by 2029 and commits to opening subsidized housing to 1,000 people over the next five years.
“We’ll support every housing unit the government announces, but they’re underestimating the need for housing right now,” said Fortin, noting that with the increase in homelessness, the province has put more responsibility on cities and municipalities to find solutions when it’s Quebec’s responsibility.
Health will see a 3% budget increase, but planned cuts to the healthcare system will continue. “In the latest round of cuts, they let nurses, nurse auxiliaries and social workers go. CISSSO’s current CEO said if we have to cut more, we’ll have to cut points of service; local CLSCs and vaccination clinics. In Pontiac, Aylmer and Gatineau, we can’t afford to lose any healthcare right now. The Outaouais is ground zero for less-than-optimal healthcare in Quebec,” said Fortin.
Fortin said he will continue to fight for the region in Quebec City and calls on residents to make their voices heard. “If we want them to respond, do better and change their ways, we have to be vocal about it,” he concluded.