The CAQ Promised Another $500ish Payment For Quebecers If Elected — So Will It Happen?
They made the commitment in late August.
Legault stands at a podium. Right, Canadian currency.
The answer is yes, according to CAQ spokesperson Ewan Sauves. "We will honour all of our promises," he told MTL Blog by email.
That means nearly 6.4 million Quebecers would receive a several hundred dollar payment before the end of the year.
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If it does indeed go ahead, the amounts will be deposited on a sliding scale — with $600 allocated for those who make under $50,000 a year and $400 for those who make more (up to $100,000 in annual salary). Overall, the payments would come to $3.5 billion in total.
“Inflation has greatly affected Quebecers in the last few months. The grocery bill, the cost of gas, and all the expenses cost more. Oppositions prefer to give discounts on gasoline or other goods. We, at the CAQ, believe that Quebecers should have the right to choose what to do with these amounts," Legault said at the end of August when he first announced the commitment.
Quebecers won't have to do anything to request the special funding. Revenu Québec would use income tax returns filed last spring to automatically send the payments to eligible recipients.
If the payout promise is honoured, they would be the second of such payment sent to residents this year. In March, the CAQ distributed $500 to residents who made under $100,000 per year. Critics have argued that the one-off payments are inadequate and won't help Quebecers manage inflation in the long term.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.