Money for housing, food banks expected in Quebec economic update

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard is scheduled to present the province's fall economic update this morning.

Girard has said he plans to address issues of housing, homelessness and climate change adaptation in the update.

Unlike last year's economic update, Girard's office has said this year's economic update won't include direct payments to Quebecers in order to offset the effects of inflation.

Girard is expected to announce that some tax credits will be indexed to inflation and to announce funding for housing and food banks, as well as money to make up public transit deficits.

The Opposition Liberals are calling for tangible measures to help Quebecers dealing with rising prices, including tax changes to reduce the cost of buying properties.

The update comes one day after hundreds of thousands of public sector workers walked off the job for several hours, the first in an escalating series of strike actions announced after unions representing government workers rejected the province's most recent contract offer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.