Pontiac region faces challenges and opportunities in Quebec's 2024-2025 Budget

Tashi Farmilo

The Quebec government's 2024-2025 budget has sparked a debate in the Pontiac region, with concerns raised about its impact on local economic development, government operations, and community support. André Fortin, the Member of the National Assembly for Pontiac and a representative of the Quebec Liberal Party, expressed his apprehensions regarding the budget.

Fortin criticized the budget for what he perceives as its lack of new measures to enhance productivity and support for the agricultural sector, which is crucial for rural Pontiac. He also highlighted the potential negative effects on taxpayers planning to purchase electric vehicles and the anticipated reduction in infrastructure spending in the Outaouais region, which includes Pontiac.

"The budget counts the largest deficit in Quebec's history at 11 billion dollars. This is the direct result of bad decisions and excessive spending by the CAQ [Coalition Avenir Québec]," Fortin stated. He added that "the Outaouais will receive only 3.6% of the province's infrastructure spending over the next few years, meaning we will be able to build or improve fewer schools and roads than other regions."

Despite these concerns, the budget does contain some positive aspects, such as the enhancement of pensions for seniors with disabilities. Fortin emphasized the need for a real plan to recruit, attract, and retain personnel in education and healthcare to ensure the effective use of the budget's allocations for these sectors.

Suzanne Tremblay, a Member of the National Assembly for Hull, expressed pride in the government's budget, highlighting its focus on health and education as the top priorities for Quebecers. "We are making the necessary choices: $2.9 billion in savings by 2028-2029 by optimizing state action; a prudent financial framework, which includes $7.5 billion in provisions to deal with economic uncertainty," Tremblay said.

The budget outlines a plan to generate $2.9 billion in savings over five years through the optimization of government action, with significant investments in health, education, and environmental sustainability. It also proposes a review of government interventions to improve efficiency and generate additional revenue.

As the Pontiac region grapples with the implications of the new budget, the debate continues on how to balance fiscal responsibility with the needs of local communities. The coming months will be crucial in determining how these budgetary decisions will impact the lives of Pontiac residents and the overall development of the region.

Photo caption: André Fortin, a Quebec Liberal Party representative and Member of the National Assembly for Pontiac, voiced concerns about the Quebec government's 2024-2025 budget.

Photo credit: Screenshot of André Fortin in an interview with Global News