In issuing its 2012 Report Card on Quebec Prosperity Quebec Employers Council urges political party leaders to take an unequivocal stance for province's prosperity

MONTREAL, Aug. 16, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - As it does every year in August, and unrelated to the provincial election campaign now underway , the Quebec Employers Council today issued its third annual Report Card on Quebec Prosperity, which aims to evaluate Quebec's economic positioning and its progress in the quest for prosperity and wealth creation.

The 2012 Report Card reveals that, despite a few notable improvements - notably in the percentage of young adults without a high-school diploma and not attending school, and the rate of university undergraduate degrees - the situation is relatively unchanged compared to last year. In fact, there is only one area this year in which there has been a decline, and that is in the average age of public infrastructure spending because of major catching up that the other provinces are also in the process of doing.

This is why, again this year, the Council has given the province of Quebec an overall mark of "C" based on an assessment of each determinant of prosperity:

Availability and quality of labour:	C
Cost of labour:	C-
Regulation:	D
Public finances:	C
Business environment:	C
Average:	C

It is important to remember there is nothing political about the issuing of this Report Card, since the indicators used are from the community itself. Still, it can help governments make wise decisions for Quebec's future.

Political leadership is needed to encourage greater collective prosperity 

In issuing the third edition of its Report Card, the Quebec Employers Council is thus taking the opportunity to strongly urge the various political parties to make a firm and unequivocal commitment - if their party is elected - to implement the best possible conditions to create more wealth in the province, thereby fostering a more sustainable prosperity and better quality of life for all Quebecers.

"Over the next few years, Quebec will have to confront many challenges that go beyond candidates and parties, including the aging demographic and its effect on our collective productivity, our ability to attract new private investment, the means to stimulate entrepreneurship and our public finances situation," said Quebec Employers Council president, Yves-Thomas Dorval. "The many Quebecers that will be voting on September 4 to elect the men and women who will lead their government for the next mandate will have to make a responsible choice for their children's future. To do so, they will have to be able to count on a clear and tangible commitment by each of the different party leaders toward our current and future prosperity."

"Economic prosperity is not a threat for citizens," added Mr. Dorval. "It is the way you convey real freedom to people and that enables them to make the appropriate choices. But you don't have prosperity without companies succeeding and investing, and you don't have companies succeeding in a sustainable manner without favourable conditions."

Two new features in the 2012 edition

This year's report card update has been enhanced with two new features: data on public debt representing accumulated deficits and an analysis of the sources of variation in program spending between Quebec and Ontario.

The Report Card on Quebec Prosperity, published by the Quebec Employers Council since 2010, compares Quebec's wealth creation performance with that of three other Canadian provinces and numerous OECD countries. For this purpose, more than 20 indicators have been selected and grouped in five "determinants of prosperity" matching the areas the Council is involved in, namely the availability and quality of labour, the cost of labour, regulation, public finances and the business environment. The assessment is based on empirical data in the study for each indicator and determinant, along with a grade for the overall average.

The Quebec Employers Council's 2012 Report Card on Quebec Prosperity is available on the organization's website (www.cpq.qc.ca).

The Quebec Employers Council brings together many of Quebec's largest companies and the vast majority of sector-based employers' groups, making it Quebec's sole employers' confederation.

SOURCE: CONSEIL DU PATRONAT DU QUEBEC

Renseignements et entrevues : 
Patrick Lemieux
Conseiller - Communications
Cell. : 438 886 9804