2025-2026 Expenditure Budget - Disciplined measures and targeted actions

QUÉBEC, March 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister Responsible for Government Administration and Chair of the Conseil du trésor, Ms. Sonia LeBel, tabled the 2025–2026 Expenditure Budget, totalling $130.6 billion. This fiscal year reiterates the importance of the Government's commitment to public services while deploying targeted measures to protect the Québec economy in a time of uncertainty.

"This is an opportunity to secure the benefits of the major investments made in recent years in health and education while significantly improving our expenditure management. The entire Government, including all departments and bodies, at every decision-making level, must mobilize to ensure compliance with their budget forecasts. The review of expenditures we initiated this year is just the beginning. We will be redoubling our efforts to ensure that public funds are managed even more rigorously and efficiently within the Gouvernement du Québec. We can do better, and we will," emphasized the Chair of the Conseil du trésor.

In fact, a review of budgetary expenditures has identified $3.0 billion in savings across various departments and bodies. These savings mainly concern administrative measures related to government operations, the cap on independent labour rates in the health and social services sector, and the transformation of certain programs. Certain public bodies that provide administrative services to their peers, such as the Société québécoise des Infrastructures, the Ministère de la Cybersécurité et du Numérique, and the Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales, will be called upon to pool certain activities to optimize associated costs. This approach aligns with efforts to reduce bureaucracy and streamline the regulatory and administrative structure.

Prioritizing Québec businesses in public procurement
The Stratégie gouvernementale des marchés publics, which aims to promote Québec procurement in the awarding of public contracts, is proving effective. In 2023–2024, out of $32.0 billion in public contracts awarded, $27.0 billion went to Québec companies. This rate has risen from 78% in 2019–2020 to 85% today, a significant gain. Furthermore, the rate of government procurement in Québec goods increased from 38% to 52% over the course of the same period.

Strong response to U.S. tariffs
In response to the tariffs imposed by the United States, the Government will continue to leverage public procurement by imposing penalties, until further notice, on U.S.-based companies bidding on its tenders. These penalties add to efforts to tighten the rules governing public procurement, particularly on online purchasing platforms, which do not encourage public bodies to source from Québec suppliers.

These measures are, in turn, complemented by a number of support programs, including FRONTIERE and ESSOR, which are being deployed by the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy to provide local businesses with financial assistance and improve productivity. The Minister of Employment, for her part, has launched two initiatives, FORCE and ACOMOD, to rapidly develop new markets and increase productivity through customized training programs for workers in businesses.

Return on investments
Between 2018–2019 and 2024–2025, recall that consolidated spending by the Gouvernement du Québec rose from $98.3 billion to $153.4 billion, an increase of 56%. "Colossal sums were invested in health and education because they were needed. The current Expenditure Budget has now sent out a strong signal to Gouvernement du Québec stakeholders that the time has come for these major investments in public services to deliver results. The public's expectations are clear. We must improve our effectiveness at all levels. It's our responsibility to take action for Quebecers," concluded the Minister.

Related link
https://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/en/ 

SOURCE Cabinet de la ministre responsable de l'Administration gouvernementale et présidente du Conseil du trésor

Source: Marylene Le Houillier, Press officer, Office of the Minister Responsible for Government Administration and Chair of the Conseil du trésor, Phone: [phone]; Information: Media Relations, Direction des communications, Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor, Phone: [phone], [email protected]