Inflation: Québec solidaire asks to freeze government tariffs

The Legault government is showing inconsistency by capping the increase in government tariffs by 3%, when it maintains that the increase in the cost of living is its priority, denounced Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. Québec solidaire asks the CAQ to freeze rates instead.

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The cost of living will be Québec solidaire’s priority over the next few weeks, insisted Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois on the sidelines of his party’s pre-sessional caucus on Wednesday.

According to him, the measures recommended by the government, such as sending a check for $400 to $600 and capping the increase in government tariffs such as driver’s license, Hydro-Québec tariffs and custody, are insufficient. « We need to do more, » he said.

He asks the CAQ to go further and freeze all rates.

“François Legault is going to raise you, but he just raises you by 3%. The question I ask myself is why increase the bills of Quebecers at the moment? Who can afford a Hydro increase? Who can afford an increase in childcare costs or a room in a CHSLD? wondered the spokesperson for Québec solidaire.

“The role of government should be to avoid adding bill increases,” he added.

Last week, the government pledged to quickly pass a bill to limit the increase in government tariffs for the next four years.

It also adopted a regulation to cap the price increase for driver’s licenses, registration fees and the rates for individual and semi-private rooms in CHSLDs at 3%, as of January 1.

The adoption of a by-law was necessary because these rates were to be indexed in January, and notices were about to be sent to citizens by mail.

In this context, does Québec solidaire’s proposal come too late for services whose price is indexed in January?

“We are in the opposition, that means that what we formulate are requests to the government. What we are asking him, since he will be tabling a bill soon, is to freeze rates. During the study of this bill, we will introduce amendments to freeze rates. If it is necessary to make regulatory changes, we ask the government to make them,” replied Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.