BUDGET 2018-2019 - Press release no. 2 of 6 - The Québec Economic Plan - March 2018 - Ensuring Quality Services in Education and Health

QUÉBEC, March 27, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The March 2018 Québec Economic Plan confirms the priority given by the government to the principal missions of education and health. New investments are planned to provide more support to our young people, in order to guide them toward school success; make our schools more attractive; and improve access to and the quality of health care for all Quebecers.

Better support for our young people throughout their school path
Québec made education a priority and a number of important actions have been taken in recent years to better guide our young people toward school success. Additional investments totalling $1.6 billion over five years will make it possible to:

• add 10 200 resources—3 100 as of September 2018—to assist students and help them succeed in school;
• increase the funding of CEGEPs, in order to improve the quality of training, and provide more support to university students, in order to foster research and innovation;
• roll out the digital action plan to give our children modern tools enabling them to take their place in the digital age.

Growth in education and higher education program spending will be 5% for the coming year. The growth objective will be maintained at 3.5% in the coming years.

Moreover, the 2018-2028 Québec Infrastructure Plan (QIP) provides for investments of $16 billion in the education and higher education sector, which will enable, among other things, the addition of classes in schools and the construction of gymnasiums and sports facilities.

Quality health care for all Quebecers
The government is also continuing its efforts to improve access to and the quality of health care for all Quebecers. In that regard, the Québec Economic Plan provides for additional investments of $3.6 billion over the next five years to:

• improve access to home care and intermediate care;
• enhance assistance for seniors;
• add specialized nurse practitioners to 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.
  

Growth in health program spending will be 4.6% and 5.3% for the network of institutions in the coming year. Health spending grew an average of 4% in the last three years; that pace will be maintained in the years to come. 

Infrastructure investments of nearly $19 billion are planned in the health and social services network under the 2018‑2028 QIP. These investments will directly improve the quality of life of all care recipients and will give Quebecers access to modern, efficient infrastructure in all regions of Québec.

Quotations:

‟Our government's sound management of public finances enables direct investment in public services by increasing transfers to the health and education networks.  We are investing in educational success by providing new means to support and assist students. In addition, the increased funding for health and social services will give Quebecers faster, easier access to health services."

‟The agreements with physicians have been settled and the share of medical compensation in health spending is declining. When this share decreases, the share of services increases."

Carlos J. Leitão, Minister of Finance

Highlights

• Growth of 5% in education and higher education program spending in 2018‑2019.
• Investments of $16.2 billion to provide healthy, safe, accessible environments conducive to students' learning.
• Acquisition and rollout of digital tools in all schools.
• Spending growth of 5.3% in 2018-2019 in hospitals for direct services.
• Investments of $18.7 billion to modernize and develop the health and social services network.

Related links:

The budget paper Éducation: A Plan for Success:
http://www.budget.finances.gouv.qc.ca/budget/2018-2019/en/documents/Education_1819.pdf

The budget paper Health: Accessible, Quality Health Services:
http://www.budget.finances.gouv.qc.ca/budget/2018-2019/en/documents/Health_1819.pdf

SOURCE Cabinet du ministre des Finances

Audrey Cloutier, Press Relations Officer, Office of the Minister of Finance, Phone: [phone]