For months, Quebec’s political parties have been ramping up the rhetoric. Still, seven months away from the provincial election, the CAQ and the Parti Quebecois (PQ) have been releasing parts of their election platform.
For the Liberals, major financial announcements have become an almost weekly event.
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So far, the government has promised $1.4 billion over five years for its early childhood education strategy.
They will take $2 billion a year from the Generations Fund to pay down the debt. They will invest $1.5 billion for a new Vaudreuil hospital. They have earmarked $672 million for school boards to make up for a school tax reduction after harmonizing the school taxes by region.
Last week, the premier announced a joint investment with the federal government in a new $3 billion tramway system in Quebec City. On Friday, they announced $80 million for public transport in neighbouring city, Levis.
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“And there will be other very interesting and important measures in our budget on March 27,” Premier Philippe Couillard boasted earlier this month.
What will those measures be? The government has alluded to a number of things, including tax cuts and other aid for small businesses.
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That’s because this week, the government announced an extra week of vacation after three years on the job, more flexible parental leave, and two days paid leave for sickness in the family.
That’s on top of the minimum wage going up.
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“We’re a bit worried the budget will not give small businesses enough to compensate for these extra rights,” PQ Leader Jean-François Lisée said.
Business owners are also holding their breath that Quebec will follow through with its vow to force online companies to collect provincial sales tax. Not collecting the tax allows foreign companies a competitive advantage over local businesses.
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“In the budget next week, there will be measures, you will see, but we’re not going to start unveiling the measures of the budget before the budget,” Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said during question period on Thursday.
The government has also promised compensation for taxi drivers facing bankruptcy because of Uber, as well as more money for Quebec nurses.
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