Quebec Budget 2025: Key Spending Areas
Table of Contents
- Quebec Budget 2025: Key Spending Areas
- Quebec Budget 2025: What You Need to Know
- What are the Key Spending Areas in the 2025 Quebec Budget?
- How Much is Allocated to Healthcare in the 2025 Budget?
- What is Quebec Doing to Support Education?
- How does the Quebec Budget Address Economic Challenges?
- What are the main Objectives for Infrastructure and Municipal Affairs?
- Key Budget Areas: Summary
Quebec’s budget for 2025 outlines significant expenditures across various sectors. Here’s a breakdown of key areas:
Health
The health portfolio sees a considerable allocation. While expenses in this area have grown by 7% annually as the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) took power, the current year’s increase is only 3%, with a projected decrease to 2% next year.
We are responsible for returning to more moderate levels of growth,
a government minister stated, referencing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges remain, including the increasing needs of an aging population.
Major projects include creating front-line access for those without a family doctor adn establishing Health Québec to modernize and manage the health system.
Increased spending is allocated to new therapeutic treatments, which, while improving patient health, add financial strain. As an example, the government cites certain cancer treatments costing hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient.
Education
Education, encompassing both education and higher education, represents the second-largest expenditure. The government prioritizes educational success,aiming to reduce pandemic-related school dropouts. Plans include consolidating support for young people and students, promoting leisure and sports, and improving access to childcare.
Law and Order
Spending on law and order covers a range of portfolios related to the core function of government: ensuring citizen security.This includes the police, courts, infrastructure, and government administration.
This category includes the Treasury Board and Government Administration, Public Security, Justice, Executive Council, National Assembly, Cybersecurity and Digital, and Persons designated by the national Assembly.
In response to potential American customs tariffs, the government is increasing infrastructure spending, a measure known to stimulate the economy during slowdowns. An increase in federal aid is also anticipated, taking the form of a permanent transfer, similar to health and social services.
Economy
Government officials acknowledge that American policies already affect the economic situation by creating uncertainty and mining confidence.
Consequently, transitional aid programs for companies affected by american prices are being improved, and business projects are being promoted.
Several tax measures related to innovation are being replaced by a new tax credit for research, innovation, and marketing to increase productivity and establish an attractive innovation ecosystem. Favored sectors include critical minerals, which support the energy transition, and the forest industry, impacted by forest fires and the timber conflict with the United States.This category includes economics, innovation and energy, employment and social solidarity, finances, tourism, and work portfolios.
Debt Service
This expenditure covers the interest paid on Quebec’s debt. The government aims to reduce the net debt compared to the gross domestic product over the next decade. Though,an increase in this weight is projected by 2026-2027,primarily due to increased infrastructure investment.
Family
This portfolio primarily funds educational childcare services and financial assistance for families.The government aims to increase access to subsidized childcare at a rate of $9.35 per day. Sence 2021, nearly 11,000 places in non-subsidized daycares have been converted; the budget plans to convert another 1,000 by 2025-2026.
Municipal Affairs
This area focuses on support for municipalities, particularly for infrastructure, social housing, and regional progress. The government aims to support access to affordable housing, especially for young people and those experiencing homelessness. Plans are in place to deliver more than 23,000 social housing units by 2029.
Transport
The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and operation of road infrastructure, as well as the funding of public transport.
The maritime strategy, aiming to make the St. Lawrence River an efficient economic corridor, is also included. This aims to increase business competitiveness and diversify exports to mitigate potential trade conflicts.
Habitat
The government emphasizes the need to continue to develop its territory in a sustainable manner,which involves combining economic development with the preservation of the environment.
This category includes environmental portfolios, climate change initiatives, fauna and parks, and natural and forest resources.
Priorities include addressing claims, enhancing the resilience of technological infrastructure, conserving territory, and supporting Aboriginal communities in wildlife management and development. An update to the 2030 green economy plan is expected in the coming months.
Other Missions
This category encompasses agriculture, fisheries and food, treasury Council and government administration, culture and communications, immigration, francization and integration, French language, and international relations and Francophonie.
Quebec Budget 2025: What You Need to Know
What are the Key Spending Areas in the 2025 Quebec Budget?
The Quebec budget for 2025 allocates significant funds across various sectors. These key areas include:
Health: This sector receives a considerable portion of the budget, with a focus on improving access to care and modernizing the health system.
Education: education and higher education are prioritized, with efforts to support student success and reduce pandemic-related learning gaps.
Law and Order: Funds are allocated to ensure citizen security,including police,courts,and infrastructure.
Economy: Initiatives support economic growth, innovation, and aid to businesses affected by external factors.
Debt Service: Funds are allocated to cover the interest paid on Quebec’s debt.
Family: The budget supports childcare services and financial assistance for families.
Municipal Affairs: Funding is provided for municipal infrastructure, social housing, and regional development.
Transport: Investment in road infrastructure and public transport, including the maritime strategy, is included.
Habitat: Focus is placed on enduring development, environmental preservation, and supporting Aboriginal communities.
Other Missions: This encompasses various portfolios such as agriculture, culture, immigration, and international relations.
How Much is Allocated to Healthcare in the 2025 Budget?
Healthcare spending remains a significant portion of the budget. While healthcare expenses have grown by 7% annually since the CAQ took power,the current budget anticipates a 3% increase,with a further decrease to 2% the following year.
Key healthcare initiatives include:
Creating front-line access to care.
Establishing Health Québec to modernize the health system.
Funding new therapeutic treatments,which can add financial strain due to high costs.
What is Quebec Doing to Support Education?
Education, including both education and higher education, is the second-largest area of expenditure in the Quebec budget. The goverment is prioritizing educational success and aims to:
Reduce pandemic-related school dropouts.
Consolidate support for young people and students.
Promote leisure and sports.
Improve access to childcare.
How does the Quebec Budget Address Economic Challenges?
The Quebec government acknowledges that external factors, such as U.S. tariffs, can affect the economic situation. To address these challenges, the budget includes:
Improved transitional aid programs for companies.
Promotion of business projects.
A new tax credit for research,innovation,and marketing to boost productivity and establish an attractive innovation ecosystem.
Support for sectors like critical minerals and the forest industry.
What are the main Objectives for Infrastructure and Municipal Affairs?
Infrastructure: The government is increasing infrastructure spending, especially in response to potential economic slowdowns and to stimulate the economy.
* Municipal Affairs: Support for municipalities is a key focus, notably for infrastructure, social housing, and regional progress. The aim is to support access to affordable housing and deliver more than 23,000 social housing units by 2029.
Key Budget Areas: Summary
| Area | Focus | Key Initiatives |
| :—————- | :———————————————————– | :—————————————————————————————————————————————— |
| Health | Healthcare access and modernization | Creating front-line access, establishing Health Québec, funding new treatments.|
| Education | Supporting student success | Reducing dropouts,consolidating support,promoting leisure,improving childcare access. |
| Law & Order | Ensuring citizen security | Funding the police, courts, and infrastructure.|
| Economy | Economic growth and innovation | Improving aid programs, promoting business projects, offering tax credits, supporting critical minerals and forest industries.|
| Family | Childcare and family assistance | Increasing subsidized childcare access.|
| Municipal Affairs | Municipal support | Infrastructure, social housing, and regional progress. |
