Budget 2018-2019, Ministère des Finances

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The Québec Economic Plan

The strongest economic growth in nearly 20 years
The Québec Economic Plan

222 600 jobs created since May 2014
The Québec Economic Plan

A record-low unemployment rate
The Québec Economic Plan

Québec is reducing its debt through the Generations Fund
The Québec Economic Plan

The fourth balanced budget in a row

Budget Speech 2018-2019 — PDF version — HTML version

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Improving Quality of Life

Educational Success

$1.2 billion to:

Add 10 200 professional staff in schools
Roll out the digital plan in schools
Modernize infrastructure
Provide environments conducive to learning and success

Health Care

$3.6 billion to:

Improve access to home care
Enhance assistance for seniors
Improve health prevention
Add specialized nurse practitioners

Sustainable Mobility

$1.8 billion to:

Increase public transit services in Québec
Support regional air transportation
Support clean, high-performance land transportation
Carry out three major public transit projects

At a Glance

Education
Investing in educational success

More support to guide young people toward success

An additional 10 200 professional staff in elementary, secondary and higher education
Increased core funding for CEGEPs and universities
Financial support for practicums for future teachers

Investments of $16.2 billion to provide healthy, safe, accessible environments that are conducive to students’ learning and success

Modernization of infrastructure
Addition of classrooms to meet existing needs
Addition of gymnasiums and sports facilities

See the Budget Paper

Health
Improving access to health care and services

The additional investments will make it possible to improve access to homecare and intermediate care

Enhance assistance for seniors
Add specialized nurse practitioners to, in particular, improve access to frontline health care
Provide the population of each region with a comparable level of access to frontline and specialized services
Improve health prevention

Since 2014, more services for patients

Nearly 1.1 million more people now have access to a family physician
To date, 325 family medicine groups (FMGs) have been set up
A total of 1 300 nurses and patient-care attendants have been hired in residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs)
A total of 31 super clinics open 7 days a week, 12 hours a day have been created to reduce emergency room overcrowding and simplify the lives of patients and families

See the Budget Paper

Families, seniors
Investing to improve quality of life

Tax assistance

Nearly $300 million to support families

Nearly $160 million to enhance the tax credit for childcare expenses
$140 million to facilitate access to ownership and reduce the debt load for people buying their first home

See measures, The Québec Economic Plan, pages C9-13

Over $100 million for informal caregivers and seniors

More than $50 million to provide greater support for informal caregivers and respite volunteers
Nearly $40 million to help seniors live independently longer and make it easier for them to stay in their home
$10 million to encourage intergenerational cohabitation

See the measure, The Québec Economic Plan, page C15

Work incentive

New increase in work income eligible for the tax shield, from $3 000 to $4 000

Investments

More than $80 million to support families with children

Improving the offering of childcare services in order to foster family-work-study balance
Providing the Fondation du Dr Julien with stronger support for social pediatrics
Supporting regional and local mobilization for early childhood development

Over $50 million to improve seniors’ quality of life

Funding additional measures for active aging
Increasing the number of workers for reaching out to socially isolated seniors
Improving support for the Aide Abus Aînés helpline

Commmunities
Supporting communities

Close to $50 million granted to Aboriginal communities to ensure better living conditions

Supporting Aboriginal participation and input in wildlife and forestry issues
Reducing the cost of living in Nunavik
Building a new regional rehabilitation centre in Nunavik

See the measure, The Québec Economic Plan, page C55

$500 million to make the justice system more accessible and more efficient

Introducing innovative practices
Bringing the justice system in line with the latest technology
Enabling the justice system’s principal stakeholders to communicate effectively and efficiently

See the Budget Paper

$500 million to further promote Québec’s cultural sector by, among other things, bringing culture closer to young people and the community

See the Budget Paper

$431 million to build 3 000 social housing units and facilitate access to affordable, quality housing

Sustainable Mobility
Making travel easier

An additional $1.8 billion for the sustainable mobility policy, bringing investments to $3.5 billion for the next five years

A new era of major sustainable mobility projects

The Réseau express métropolitain
The extension of the Montréal metro blue line
The city of Québec’s strategic transportation network

Nearly $850 million in additional funding for public transit throughout Québec

Close to $200 million for modern and efficient public transit
Close to $40 million for improving regional public transit
Over $100 million for supporting the transportation of persons with a disability or reduced mobility

Nearly $175 million for regional air transportation to help citizens who live in outlying regions to travel at affordable prices

Investing in regional airport infrastructure
Implementing an assistance program for regional air services
Increasing air travel in Québec and reducing airfares

Nearly $430 million for cleaner and higher-performance land transportation

$92 million to promote the acquisition of electric vehicles
$250 million to support municipalities in maintaining and rehabilitating their local road networks
Over $30 million for strengthening the railway sectors’ contribution to the transportation of goods
Over $50 million to support the land transportation and sustainable mobility industry

See the Budget Paper

Workforce Strategy
Increasing Quebecers’ standard of living

$810 million more to ensure a sufficient and qualified labour force to meet the needs of the labour market

Acquiring a better understanding of current and future labour needs, particularly in the regions
Having access to a sufficient workforce by, among other things, improving the integration of immigrants into the labour market and retaining experienced workers
Ensuring a skilled workforce with flexible training adapted to the needs of the labour market

See the Budget Paper

More than $2 billion to ease the tax burden on SMBs

Reduction of payroll taxes
Gradual reduction from 8% to 4% in the tax rate of SMBs in the service and construction sectors, as in the other sectors

See the measure, Québec's Economic Record, page 51

Over $270 million to accelerate business investment

Increase in and extension of the additional capital cost allowance to support the acquisition of cutting-edge technologies
Broadening of the tax holiday for large investment projects to include development of digital platforms
Better electricity discounts for major projects
Additional investments for the implementation of major tourism projects

$63 million for adapting the workplace to promote physical activity

Innovation and Economy
Supporting innovation and the transformation of the economy

$1 billion more to accelerate the digital transition in our economy

Tax credit to support digital transformation in print media companies
Broadening of the tax credit for film production to digital platforms
Support for the digital transition in the tourism industry and the construction sector

See the measure, The Québec Economic Plan, page D65

$120 million for the implementation of mobilizing projects that are strategic for Québec’s economy

See the measure, The Québec Economic Plan, page D46

Nearly $380 million to promote the energy transition and protect the environment

Supporting innovation in the energy sector
Deriving value from residual forest biomass
Promoting the development of biofuels in Québec
Developing the clean technologies sector

An additional $36.5 million to encourage access to natural gas for the most possible regions in Québec

$226 million to improve water management and mitigate risks related to flooding

Implementation of the next Québec Water Strategy
Support for local partners in the protection and sustainable use of resources
Strengthening of the safety of public and municipal dams
Implementation of tools to support decision making during disasters

Nearly $350 million for a new biofood policy, including:

$180 million to spur investment in biofood production and processing
Nearly $65 million to stimulate the development of biofood in Québec
Close to $30 million to step up efforts in innovation and training

See the Budget Paper

Promoting the creation in Montréal of the World Artificial Intelligence Organization

Development of projects for supply chains optimized by artificial intelligence in Québec, piloted by the SCALE.AI supercluster

Regions
Promoting economic diversification

Over $80 million to promote economic diversification in the regions

Renewal of the Fonds d’aide aux initiatives régionales for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region
Establishment of the Fonds de diversification économique pour le territoire de la MRC des Appalaches
Support for territories facing economic difficulties

Over $300 million in initiatives for continuing Québec’s Maritime Strategy

Creating the Fonds Bleu to improve water management
Supporting Québec’s shipyards
Funding the Réseau Québec maritime
Funding studies aimed at developing industrial port zones and logistics hubs

Developing Northern Québec

Construction of two new sections of Route 138
Development of the Société ferroviaire et portuaire de Pointe-Noire, in Sept-Îles
Repair of multi-resource access roads
Clean-up of hazardous waste storage sites in the 14 northern villages of Nunavik

Nearly $475 million for projects generating jobs and prosperity in the area covered by thePlan Nord

Québec By The Numbers

Find out more

Economic forecasts
Budget forecasts
Québec’s debt

A Message from the Minister of Finance

I am pleased to present our fifth budget. It is our fourth consecutive balanced budget, which underscores the responsible management of public finances.

This budget marks a historic turning point for Québec in many respects.

Renewed economic and fiscal health provides a solid foundation on which to build the future of Québec.

Québec has posted its strongest economic growth in nearly 20 years, and we are taking concrete action today to improve Quebecers’ quality of life.

The March 2018 Québec Economic Plan proposes concrete measures that will make a difference in families’ lives: quality services that are easier to access; quality time, through better support and improved travel and mobility; and a higher standard of living due to a stronger economy.

Thanks to the strength of the Generations Fund, the vitality of the economy and the sound management of public finances, we are also beginning to repay our debt. In so doing, we are creating more leeway to fund public services and further invest in our infrastructure.

With this plan, we are going to build a stronger, more united and fairer Québec.

Happy reading!

Carlos J. Leitão
Minister of Finance

Budget 2018-2019

Webcast

The Québec Economic Plan

The Québec Economic Plan

The Québec Economic Plan

The Québec Economic Plan

The Québec Economic Plan

Improving Quality of Life

Educational Success

$1.2 billion to:

Health Care

$3.6 billion to:

Sustainable Mobility

$1.8 billion to:

At a Glance

Education Investing in educational success

Health Improving access to health care and services

Families, seniors Investing to improve quality of life

Commmunities Supporting communities

Sustainable Mobility Making travel easier

Workforce Strategy Increasing Quebecers’ standard of living

Innovation and Economy Supporting innovation and the transformation of the economy

Regions Promoting economic diversification

Québec By The Numbers

Find out more

A Message from the Minister of Finance

Education
Investing in educational success

Health
Improving access to health care and services

Families, seniors
Investing to improve quality of life

Commmunities
Supporting communities

Sustainable Mobility
Making travel easier

Workforce Strategy
Increasing Quebecers’ standard of living

Innovation and Economy
Supporting innovation and the transformation of the economy

Regions
Promoting economic diversification