Quebec limits school tax hike to 3 per cent

A Quebec school bus sits in a parking lot Monday August 10, 2020 in Gatineau, Que. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The Legault government announced on Friday that it would limit school tax increases to an average of 3 per cent, the same as in recent years.

Quebec is also committed to paying the $150 million shortfall to school service centres.

In a news release, the government said the school tax rate would rise from $0.09730 to $0.09152 per $100 of assessment.

For example, an average tax bill of $355 will increase by $10 next year. According to the government, had it not acted, the amount would have jumped by $54.

The Legault government pointed out that it pays $1.8 billion a year to school service centres to limit the increase for Quebecers and keep school taxes uniform across the province.

"While offering families a little respite, we're making sure that school service centres have the financial resources they need to provide the services that will enable students to reach their full potential," said Education Minister Bernard Drainville.

During the 2022 election campaign, François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec promised to limit government rate increases to 3 per cent for its entire mandate.

Finance Minister Eric Girard passed the government's first-ever bill to limit certain rates, including driver's licences, vehicle registration and daycare fees, until December 2026.

The Legault government had also acted to limit school taxes in 2022 and 2023.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 14, 2024.