Quebec, New Brunswick Unveil 2026-2027 Budgets

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard tabled the province's 2026-2027 budget on Wednesday, emphasizing fiscal prudence amid global uncertainties, while New Brunswick Finance Minister René Legacy presented his province's budget a day earlier, marked by a record deficit driven by health care investments.

In Quebec, Girard's eighth and final budget under the Coalition Avenir Québec government focuses on core government functions and infrastructure without new spending promises ahead of the October 5 provincial election. The minister explicitly ruled out financial relief for motorists facing gas prices above $1.80 per liter in Montreal, attributing the surge to the ongoing war in the Middle East and disruptions such as threats to the Strait of Hormuz. "There will be no specific relief for gas prices tomorrow," Girard told reporters Tuesday. "Until we know whether this situation in the world is temporary or permanent, we cannot make the decision as to how to react."

Girard cited multiple factors for caution, including the upcoming election, uncertainties around the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, and fluctuating fuel demand that reduces provincial tax revenue as prices rise....