Per-person spending by the Quebec government reached a record high in 2021 under Premier François Legault, surpassing the spending records of all his predecessors since 1965 according to a new study by the Fraser Institute. The study, published on Feb. 29, highlighted that the Legault government’s 2021 program spending per person was at $15,562, significantly higher than the $2,942 figure from 1965.
Yanick Labrie, a senior fellow at the think tank and a co-author of the study, explained that the goal of the analysis was to offer a historical perspective on this crucial aspect of government fiscal policy. By comparing current spending levels to those in the past, Quebec residents can better assess the value they are receiving for their tax dollars. The study used data from Statistics Canada to adjust the per-person spendings for inflation and population and stopped its analysis in 2021, as it was the most recent year with available data.
The study did not include interest costs on government debt in its calculations. If interest costs were factored in, the authors argued, it would unfairly penalize or reward premiers based on factors outside the government’s immediate control, such as existing debt or interest rates. Premier Legault, who has been in office since 2018, saw a significant increase in per-person spending, setting new records each year from 2018 to 2021.
The authors emphasized that the measure of per-person inflation-adjusted spending is often overlooked as a metric for evaluating government fiscal policy. While the more common measure of government spending as a share of the economy (GDP) is more readily available, the study’s historical analysis focused on per-person spending offers a different perspective on government fiscal policy in Quebec. The authors believe that comparing per-person program spending by different premiers is a valuable way to assess government fiscal decisions.