(Repentigny) Les Québécois peuvent s’attendre à une hausse salée de leur facture d’Hydro-Québec, mais aussi à un budget à saveur électorale qui viendra compenser, du moins en partie.
Publié hier à 16h28
De passage à Repentigny, vendredi, le premier ministre François Legault a reconnu que les paramètres législatifs n’empêcheraient pas la société d’État de peser sur le crayon, en raison de la poussée inflationniste actuelle.
C’est d’ailleurs pour cette raison qu’il a rejeté les reproches des oppositions, selon qui la facture de quelque 400 millions qu’Hydro-Québec prévoit verser à Énergir pour compenser la perte de clients qui se convertiront du gaz à l’électricité sera refilée aux consommateurs.
« C’est faux, parce que comme vous devez le savoir, on a adopté un projet de loi et les tarifs ne peuvent pas augmenter plus que l’inflation », a-t-il souligné.
En d’autres termes, les hausses « exceptionnelles » qui s’en viennent sont la faute de l’inflation. « L’inflation est à un niveau très élevé cette année. […] The budget is coming out on March 22 and will cover, among other things, this significant increase in hydro-Quebec rates, ”Premier said.
Equal amount for all
According to him, freezing the tariff demanded by the opposition parties is not the right approach “because it means that those who are the richest, have the biggest houses, who will benefit the most.
The Prime Minister also gave other evidence that this budget will include tax exemptions for taxpayers. “It simply came to our notice then. Grocery store has gone up a lot, rental prices have gone up a lot. Eric Girard is preparing for that. ⁇
“I do not know what will happen in the March 22 budget, but we’re going to help the Cubs to deal with the extraordinary increase in electricity rates, among other things. ⁇
Assistance to community organizations
Franకోois Legalt regrets announcing assistance to local community organizations, which will come together in a new building with CLSC, CPE and Bistro.
Here, too, he points out that the good news comes to community organizations. “Obviously, I can not tell you about the budget that will be introduced on March 22,” he reiterated, but I know there are many community organizations that need help. ⁇
Mr. Legalt recalled that his government had increased the amount allocated to community organizations by 11% over the past three years “and I know more needs to be done and the finance minister knows more needs to be done”.
“Two difficult years have passed. We have temporary budgets, but here we come with a budget, ”Mr. Legalt repeated. In the same breath, he noted that “with a shortage of workers, recruitment can be very difficult. Some people get well-paid jobs and that can be challenging. There are fewer volunteers.”
However, the Prime Minister has already warned the social class that all their demands will not be met. “The finance minister told me: they are asking for a 46% increase. I’ll tell you right away, I do not think we’re going to be at 46%, but there’s going to be an increase in the March 22 budget. ⁇
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