Quebec budget | The Press

Labor shortages, health, education… our readers are sharing their priorities with the Minister of Finance for the next Quebec budget, scheduled for March 21. Here is an overview of the suggestions received.


Banking on immigrants

Since the labor shortage seems to be the main obstacle to all our needs in health, education, construction, justice, public services and manufacturing companies, we should significantly increase our capacity to receive immigrants so that they are the workforce of tomorrow. To do this, why not tax credits for those who agree to host immigrants and teach them French? More generous tax benefits could also encourage the return of retirees to the labor market, even on a part-time basis.

Real Bilodeau

Leveling the Quebec pension

Prioritizing the leveling of the Quebec pension should be based on the inflation experienced by the elderly.

Johanne Fillion

Stop reducing taxes

The government must abandon the plan to reduce taxes. This would be a mistake that would have consequences for many years. Health and education will need more and more money to fulfill their mission in the coming decades. It is better to target aid to the most financially deprived than to sprinkle a few hundred dollars here and there without a real effect on the quality of life. A tax cut is a short-sighted partisan action to win votes.

Rejean Arsenault

First social and community housing

My priority would be to invest massively in social and community housing to solve the housing crisis, including the problem of homelessness and welcoming refugees. The other priorities: in general, public services such as health, education and CPEs, public transport, ecological transition and the fight against climate change.

Louise Constantine

Education, health, environment

I have three priorities. Education: a strategy for the recruitment of competent professionals, the renovation of dilapidated schools and general meetings on education. Health: accountability of managers, everything starts from there. The environment: massive investments in the energy transition.

Helen Bergeron

Conserve public services

It’s a simple recommendation, but it must be a priority: to preserve our public services and improve them, we must give up the 1% tax reduction announced during the election campaign. I don’t need that and neither does my spouse. We want public services that meet the needs of Quebecers.

Jean Bechard

Rather targeted tax increases

Especially not a tax cut, it has no effect on those who are badly taken. Increase taxes on multi-millionaires to help low-income households. Also, let us pass a law to prevent the increase in rent prices: it is odious to leave people alone on the street because landlords increase rents excessively.

Christiane Houle

think about young people

In my opinion, the budget that will soon be presented by Éric Girard should have priorities that are important to us young people. We are the future and we should have a say in government priorities. The environment, health and education are issues that we find important.

Thomas Montigny

Promote the return to work of retirees

Provide an attractive tax incentive for people aged 65 and over who want to remain in the labor market.

Alain Michel

Home Care

Forget tax cuts and focus on home care or hospital or school infrastructure! In short, a tax cut will do nothing to improve Quebec’s quality of life, only a temporary balm for a few weeks. Develop a bigger vision!

Pierre Lavergne

The nurses before the third link

The government must take care of health, negotiate a nice salary increase for nurses and reorganize hospitals. He must also forget the third link to Quebec, totally useless, which will save billions of dollars so necessary for health.

Claudette Messier

Look for new sources of income

Above all, we must not lower taxes in a context where public services are already in dire need of resources. It would even be necessary to find new sources of revenue for the State where the money is: taxing large companies, increasing royalties on water and electricity for large users, financing services for refugees and immigrants ( instead of redirecting them). In health care, the elephant in the room is clearly physician compensation.

Noemie Delisle

Modernize the health system

In my opinion, here are the priorities: modernize and optimize the processes of the health system, repair the infrastructures of schools and SMEs, stimulate the green economy, define promising strategies and transform jobs in polluting industries, stimulate self-sufficiency food and reduce our dependence on international markets.

Collin Thivierge


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