Wednesday, March 18, 2026
ADVT 
National

It's budget day in Quebec, and finance minister says don't expect major goodies

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Mar, 2026 09:51 AM
  • It's budget day in Quebec, and finance minister says don't expect major goodies

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard is set to table his budget today for the upcoming fiscal year.

Speaking to journalists Tuesday, he said Quebecers shouldn't expect any new big-ticket items as the province tries to reduce the deficit.

Today's budget will likely be Girard's last before the fall general election, and it comes shortly before the governing Coalition Avenir Québec chooses a new leader next month to replace Premier François Legault.

Girard has said the budget will include an envelope of money for Legault's successor — Christine Fréchette or Bernard Drainville — to use to deliver on campaign promises.

In his fiscal update last November, Girard said the province was projected to have a deficit of $12.4 billion for the 2025-26 fiscal year, or 1.5 per cent of the GDP.

Girard has said government spending will focus on core functions and infrastructure, as well as on tackling issues like conjugal violence and homelessness.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

MORE National ARTICLES

Indigenous chiefs go to Alberta legislature, pressure province to nip separatism push

Indigenous chiefs go to Alberta legislature, pressure province to nip separatism push
More than a dozen First Nations chiefs and even more band councillors and elders were at Alberta's legislature Monday, calling on Premier Danielle Smith's government to stomp out the push for the province to quit Canada.

Indigenous chiefs go to Alberta legislature, pressure province to nip separatism push

Police search for two suspects after U.S. consulate in Toronto hit by gunfire

Police search for two suspects after U.S. consulate in Toronto hit by gunfire
Shots fired at the United States consulate in Toronto were denounced by Ontario's premier as unacceptable acts of intimidation as police searched for two suspects in the early-morning shooting on Tuesday. 

Police search for two suspects after U.S. consulate in Toronto hit by gunfire

More than 5,000 Canadians have fled Middle East, Anand says demand for help dropping

More than 5,000 Canadians have fled Middle East, Anand says demand for help dropping
Global Affairs Canada says it has helped more than 5,000 Canadians leave the Middle East since the latest conflict began, and demand for evacuation support is now falling off.

More than 5,000 Canadians have fled Middle East, Anand says demand for help dropping

U.S. museum returns remains of 12 Canadian soldiers

U.S. museum returns remains of 12 Canadian soldiers
An American medical museum has returned the partial human remains of 12 Canadian soldiers from the First World War.

U.S. museum returns remains of 12 Canadian soldiers

Conservatives seek to remove barriers to shipping alcohol across provincial borders

Conservatives seek to remove barriers to shipping alcohol across provincial borders
A Conservative member of Parliament has introduced a private member's bill to enable shipments of Canadian alcohol across the country.

Conservatives seek to remove barriers to shipping alcohol across provincial borders

Automaker allowed more tariff-free U.S. imports due to higher Canadian production

Automaker allowed more tariff-free U.S. imports due to higher Canadian production
Ottawa is letting an unnamed automaker import a higher quota of U.S.-made vehicles without tariffs because the company is selling and making more cars in Canada than first expected.

Automaker allowed more tariff-free U.S. imports due to higher Canadian production