Quebec Inc. wants the next budget to tackle the labor problem head-on
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A labor shortage is affecting many sectors of activity in Quebec.
Tackling the labor shortage is at the top of the list of employers' demands two weeks before the tabling of the Legault government's next budget.
In a context where there are more vacancies than unemployed, the organizations recommend taking action, among other things, to train the next generation and strengthen refresher training, improve immigration processes, encourage extension of active life as well as improving the recognition of prior learning and skills, say six economic organizations.
They met Friday morning with the Minister of Finance of Quebec, Eric Girard, to inform him of their priorities for the next budget. In the third quarter of 2022, there were 244,000 vacancies (+106,000 in three years), while the number of unemployed people was 199,500 in September 2022.
“The business community is calling for investments to improve the performance of programs such as Workforce Operations and international talent selection and onboarding processes . »
— Michel Leblanc of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
To compensate for the lack of manpower, several chambers of commerce also recommend that the government provide more support for innovation and productivity.
Quebec SMEs have 32% higher payroll taxes here than in Ontario and 8 other provinces have a lower reduced tax rate than here. However, lowering their taxes would allow them to invest in their employees, in innovation and in productivity, argues François Vincent, vice-president for Quebec at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
François Vincent, CFIB Vice-President Quebec
On the fiscal side, Quebec inc. also calls for the deduction for small businesses to be extended to all sectors of activity and not just to the primary and manufacturing sectors.
The government also has the power to introduce tax measures allowing facilitate takeovers and meet the expectations of Quebec regions. This includes in particular the regionalization of venture capital, the development of transport and telecommunications infrastructure, the performance of the Plan for a Green Economy 2030 as well as access to rental housing, to name a few, declares de his side Charles Milliard, President and CEO of the Federation of Quebec Chambers of Commerce.
Yesterday, it was the unions who presented their expectations for the next budget. According to the latter, Quebec must give up the tax cuts of approximately 2 billion dollars promised in the election campaign and instead reinvest these sums, in particular in public services, the fight against climate change and economic development.
