Quebec's Next Inflation Cheques: Here's Who's Eligible & When You Could Get Paid
You have to file your d*mn taxes first.
Quebec Premier François Legault smiles while giving a speech in September 2022.
Inflation got you down? Quebec's government is doing something about it, and that something is an up-to-$600 payout to offset the pain of paying outrageous prices for basic needs. Legault's government has already done this: it gave $500 payments to millions of Quebec residents earlier this year for the same reasons.
This time, the payments are expected to go out to an estimated 6.5 million Quebecers by the end of this year, according to a recent press release. The money is tax-free and income-based, meaning the less you earn the more you'll get from Legault.
Eric Girard, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for Relations with English-speaking Quebecers, called this new measure a "significant and targeted gesture" that will allow Quebecers to "deal with rising inflation according to their priorities and needs."
How much is the Quebec inflation relief cheque?
It depends on your income. If you earned $50,000 or less in 2021, you'll get the full $600. For those who earned $54,000 annually, you'll receive $400, and if you're anywhere in between, you'll get somewhere between $400 and the full $600. This pattern continues as your 2021 income increases; between $54,000 and $100,000, you'll get $400, and this gradually decreases for those who earned more. Once you hit the cutoff of $104,000 in annual income, you'll receive a cool $0.00.
Who's eligible for Quebec's inflation relief cheque?
It's all dependent on residents having filed their 2021 tax return. Don't panic! If you haven't done it yet, you have until June 30, 2023 to file your taxes and benefit from the cash inflow. You might even retroactively qualify for the earlier $500 payout, so it's worth filing late.
When will the new Quebec payments go out?
The Ministry of Finance says eligible Quebecers will receive them by the end of the year. In October, Premier François Legault said he plans to table the measures in the first few days of the next National Assembly session, which begins November 29.
Will the Quebec inflation cheques be actual cheques?
Revenu Québec will automatically send out the money as either cheques or direct deposits. Eligible residents who filed their 2021 tax returns won't have to take any additional steps to claim their payout, the ministry says.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.