Aided by the “exceptional performance” of the economy in 2021, Finance Minister Eric Girard will announce on Tuesday how much money his government will repay in taxpayers’ pockets to cope with the rising cost of living.
Who deserves this one-time help? Rich, like the poor? How many checks will be issued? The finance minister carefully avoided throwing beans ahead of the last budget before the election.
Wearing his new running shoes at the traditional shoe festival, Mr. Girard recalled that earlier this year, 3.3 million low- and middle-income Cubes received “exceptional” and “targeted” assistance. A “surprise” increase in the cost of living from $ 200 to $ 275.
Photo by Stevens LeBlanc
For his last budget before the election, Finance Minister Eric Girard again bought a pair of running shoes, “performance shoes”, he pointed out in front of the cameras.
“There, we are going to take the most common application process,” Minister Girard reiterated, refusing to confirm whether all taxpayers will receive the check.
In recent weeks, Prime Minister Franசois LeCald has smashed into the House his goal of “giving everyone a fixed amount” in the face of rising petrol and grocery basket prices.
The deficit has shrunk
Mr. Girard had the opportunity to announce the good news on Monday: Quebec’s structural deficit – long-term negative balance, which will remain after the epidemic – “halved”.
The deficit, which was more than $ 6 billion a year ago, is now “below $ 3 billion,” the finance minister said.
Despite the “exceptional performance” of the economy in 2021, Mr. Girard promises a “prudent” budget, marked by “responsible management of public funds.”
Investments will be concentrated in key areas of the state, including health, education, the economy and the environment, he said.
In the current context of uncertainty, there is no question of a return to the expected balanced budget for 2027-2028, at least not now.
“No, because the goal is to return to a balanced budget with as little effort as possible. That is, change is as smooth as possible, so we have a goal of 2027-2028,” explained Minister Girard.
High levels of uncertainty
“One year ago, two years ago it was possible for us to reach equilibrium,” he said. But we still have a great deal of uncertainty: there is an epidemic, Russia has an invasion of Ukraine … so we have a sensible financial structure. ⁇
The budget will include several “sensible elements” to alleviate this uncertainty.
“The interests of the Cubs are at the heart of the budget we are going to present,” Minister Gerrard summed up in a brief video posted on his social media network Monday.
“Music geek. Coffee lover. Devoted food scholar. Web buff. Passionate internet guru.”
