CAQ unveils investments in education and health, promises not to increase taxes

Franois Legault has unveiled his party's financial plan, which the Coalition Avenir Qubecleader says will help fund better services in health and education and posits the party as the best choice to manage the provincialpurse.

The CAQ, which is leading in the polls, said its plan would put $1.7 billion back into thewallets of Quebecers annually, primarily through allocations to families and a reduction in school taxes.

The financial framework is "responsible" and will cut down on bureaucracy and wasteful spending,Legault said during a press conference at Chteau Bonne Entente in Quebec City Saturday morning.

It will allow the party "to better manage public finances to both improve services and put money back into Quebecers' wallets," he said.

Legault said the CAQis predicting 4.1 per cent growth in the health sector budget over the first three years of amandate, and 4.2 per cent growth in the fourth year.

It also plans to add $400 million to the education budget every year, and more than $500 million to caring for elderly Quebecers annually.

"I thinkthe CAQ, by far, hasthe most solid team to execute this plan," Legault said.

No tax increase beyond inflation

The CAQsays it would pay off $10 billion of the provincial debt before the end of March 2019, if elected on Oct. 1.

It also plans to reduce school taxes by $700 million annually, with the aim of equalizing how much residents in different parts of the province pay, Legaulttold reporters.

Another $763 million would go to Quebec families, $249 million for pre-kindergarten tofour-year-olds, $245 million for seniors' homesand $200 million for home support services.

The CAQ leader, who previously said he wantsto be the "premier for the economy," said the party would also eliminate a "family tax" imposed by the Liberals.

Legault also promised hewouldn't increase tariffs or taxes beyond the rate of inflation.

While a report released before the election campaign predicted 1.3 per cent economic growth in 2021 and 2022 in Quebec, the CAQsaid its plan would get the rate up to as much as 2 per cent.

In the last two years of a potential mandate, Legault said a CAQgovernment would "increase economic growth by 0.5 per cent," which would bring in $700 million.

First out of the gate

Before the announcement, Legaulthad said he would wait for the Liberals' financial framework before announcing his own.

However, earlier this week, he said hewanted people to see it before the first leaders' debate on Sept. 13.

• Quebec Poll Tracker: Liberals gain, but CAQ leads

The Liberals, the PartiQubcoisand Qubec Solidaire have yet to unveil their own financial frameworks.

PQ Leader Jean-FranoisLisesaid the CAQ'sforecast for economic growth amountsto "wishful thinking."

He said the PQ'sframework would respect economic projections for the province.

"In this case, the CAQ is really counting its chickens before they hatch," Lise said in French.

Liberals also pan the proposal

In the election campaign so far, Liberal Leader Philippe Couillardhas emphasized his party's economic track record.

Quebec's economy has experienced a boom, growing last year at a rate unseen since 2000.

Commenting on the CAQ's proposal Saturday,Couillard said Legault'sparty hasunder-evaluated how much it would need to spend to make its plans a reality.

"Very few or nearly no details on infrastructure, that doesn't work. But I'm not surprised," Couillardtold reporters.

Liberal candidateand incumbentfinance minister, CarlosLeito, also questioned the credibility of the CAQ's plan today.

"I think theCAQshould have taken more time," he said.

Leito said the CAQ's economic framework fails to explain how it willpay for several campaign promises it has made so far, such as free publickindergarten for four-year-olds and a plan to subject new immigrants to a French-language test.

"Which promises will be kept? Which promises will be abandoned? [These] are important questions and I think the population has a right to get a clear answer from the CAQ," Leitosaid.

The Liberals' 2018 budget increased spending by 4.7 per cent, one of the highest increases in the past 20 years.

The budget included five per cent additional funding for education in the coming year, while health spending would see 4.6 per cent growth.

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With files from Radio-Canada and La Presse Canadienne