QUEBEC -- Adoptive families in Quebec will ultimately not be entitled to 55 weeks of parental leave, as promised by the CAQ during the 2018 provincial election campaign.
Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity Minister Jean Boulet unveiled Bill 51 Wednesday, which aims to eimprove the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) in order to promote work-family balance.
Currently, adoptive families are entitled to 37 weeks of shareable benefits between parents, while biological families are entitled to 55 weeks (18 weeks of maternity leave, five weeks of paternity leave and 32 weeks of parental leave).
Under Bill 51, each adoptive parent would be granted five weeks of exclusive benefits. They would be given five additional weeks in the case of adoption outside Quebec, required for a stay out of province.
During the election campaign, the CAQ promised to give 55 weeks for adoptive parents so that would receive the same benefits as biological parents.
Boulet tried to explain the change in plans on Thursday by saying the "physiological effects of pregnancy and childbirth" should not be underestimated.
"It's not necessarily the same effects for adopting parents," he said.
