Quebec’s next budget will drop on March 18

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard. (LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Jacques Boissinot)

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard is set to table the province’s 2026-2027 budget on March 18, before Premier François Legault’s successor is named.

The next leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), who will then become premier, is expected to be chosen on April 12.

Girard said presenting the budget before March 31 “ensures the continuity of public services and provides the necessary predictability for citizens, businesses and government partners in a context of great uncertainty.”

He added that the two candidates for CAQ leadership, Christine Fréchette and Bernard Drainville, were consulted during the budgetary process.

During an interview on ICI RDI on Friday morning, he suggested that both candidates “endorsed the government’s choices.”

This will be Girard’s last budget before the provincial election, scheduled for October.

The minister has promised a “sober and focused” document.

He said he plans to propose “targeted measures to respond to Quebecers’ priorities” while maintaining “responsible management” of public finances.

“Our government’s 2026-2027 budget will provide adequate funding for government missions and infrastructure investments,” Girard said in a press release. “Continuing to improve public finances and returning to a balanced budget remain at the heart of our priorities.”

No election promises

A few weeks ago in Montreal, Girard insisted that the issues Quebecers are most concerned about will be addressed in the next budget.

“We are very sensitive to important social issues, such as the needs of food banks, women who are victims of domestic violence and homelessness,” he said on Feb. 14. “As for the cost of living, I think our government has proven, with tax cuts and rate caps, that this is one of our priorities. I don’t see why we wouldn’t continue along these lines.”

Nevertheless, Girard admitted during his interview with ICI RDI that the budget would be election-oriented.

“There will be no election promises or anything like that. We are really focused on responsible management. We know that we are on a plan to return to the budget, and we are continuing with that,” said Girard.

The March 18 budget will be the eighth presented by Girard.

According to the government’s most recent economic update, the projected deficit for this year is $12.4 billion, including payments to the Generations Fund, lower than the $13.6 billion anticipated in the budget presented in the spring of 2025.

Last fall, the government reiterated its goal of returning to a balanced budget in 2029-2030.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 6, 2026.