Municipalities feel squeezed as Quebec tables record deficit budget

"Following his dismissal as president of the Quebec City Council, the independent councillor, Louis Martin, will have his annual salary cut by approximately $15,000. Most of the Quebec City Councillors chose last week to dismiss the elected president of the City Council. Mr. Martin had left his caucus and admitted to discussion with former minister Sam Hamad, who will shortly announce his candidacy for the Quebec City Council. The elected member…

Municipalities feel squeezed as Quebec tables record deficit budget

By William Crooks Local Journalism Initiative In the wake of a record-setting $13.6-billion deficit in the 2025–2026 provincial budget, municipalities across Quebec—including those in the Estrie region—are voicing serious concerns about what they see as a continuing provincial retreat from funding key local infrastructure. The Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ), representing towns and cities across the province, says the government is offlo…

QUEBEC — U.S. customs duties force the Government of Quebec; the deficit will reach a new record in absolute numbers for fiscal year 2025-2026: $13.6 billion, or 2.2% of GDP. Despite the uncertainty, Finance Minister Eric Girard is keeping the course for fiscal balance in five years' time. This deficit will be caused, among other things, by government assistance to businesses to go through the tariff war. The budget provides $5.4 billion over fi…

On Tuesday, March 25 at the National Assembly, Quebec's Minister of Finance, Éric Girard, tabled the provincial budget 2025-2026. A record deficit, investments to counter the adverse effects of U.S. tariffs or an increase in the health and education portfolio: let's take stock of the lessons learned from the speech of the caquist representative.

The Quebec budget, presented on Tuesday by the Minister of Finance, raises serious concerns in the Outaouais region. While the Outaouais CISSS is faced with major cuts and a budget increase limited to 3%, social housing is virtually absent from government priorities. A situation that alarms local actors. In health, Action Santé Outaouais denounces a chronic under-funding that, according to its director Mathieu Charbonneau, contributes to the exo…