Louiseville, September 2, 2026 – The leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Mr. Charles Milliard, announced that a Liberal government would allocate 75% of the Quebec Infrastructure Program (PQI) to asset maintenance, until 80% of public infrastructure is deemed to be in “satisfactory” condition or better, as defined by the Public Infrastructure Act. To date, only 54% of the infrastructure under the responsibility of public agencies is rated as being in “satisfactory” condition or better.
Our 80% target is ambitious, but necessary, given the CAQ’s failure over the past eight years. During that period, the asset maintenance deficit rose by 198% to a record $44.8 billion.
Quebec’s municipalities are bearing the brunt of this crisis. The asset maintenance deficit continues to worsen and is placing increasing pressure on municipal finances. Unfortunately, in 2017, rather than coming to their aid, the CAQ significantly reduced the share of municipal infrastructure in the PQI.
The liberal approach is based on two pillars: stable and predictable financial commitment and a review of practices.
To restore high-quality infrastructure for Quebecers, the Quebec Liberal Party is committed to:
- Increase the PQI to $195 billion over a 10-year period beginning in 2027Asset maintenance needs have skyrocketed in recent years, and an increase in the PQI is necessary to make up for the backlog.
- Amend the Public Infrastructure Act so that the PQI is established over a 25-year period:This proposal, which was adopted by our Youth Commission at its convention last month, directly addresses the requests of stakeholders in the field, particularly those of Professors Godbout and Gagné-Dubé, from the University of Sherbrooke, who highlighted this issue in their extensive consultation with the municipal sector earlier this year. By setting a 25-year horizon rather than a 10-year one, we not only provide greater predictability but also reaffirm our commitment to repairing and building our infrastructure for future generations.
The Quebec Liberal Party also aims to modernize its practices and is committed to:
- Promote the use of modular construction in government projects:The modular approach will not only make it possible to build faster and at a lower cost, but also increase production capacity and provide greater predictability for local businesses.
- Authorize Investissement Québec to develop a strong and diversified entrepreneurial ecosystem:To help companies in the construction industry modernize, become more competitive, and thus be able to meet the significant needs in public infrastructure.
- Overhaul the administrative structure of municipal infrastructure funding programs:A Liberal government would take stock of the approximately 200 existing programs during its first year in office to determine which ones can be consolidated to simplify the process for municipalities. In 2022, a study by the UMQ revealed that municipalities employ 4,100 full-time staff and spend $328.4 million annually solely to meet the Quebec government’s administrative requirements. This measure will therefore not only save municipalities time and money but also enable the government to achieve administrative savings as part of its government modernization initiative. The measure is directly in line with the commitment we made at the UMQ Conference to reduce red tape.
We would also like to point out that the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party recently pledged to increase the share of municipal infrastructure in the PQI from 4.4% to 8% during a first term and to maintain that share on a long-term basis.
“The Quebec Liberal Party has never been afraid to act with determination and conviction to find lasting solutions to problems. We are choosing to invest the necessary funds to reverse the trend of infrastructure deterioration, because we believe that this is what a responsible government must do as a matter of priority. Only the Quebec Liberal Party has the ambition needed to give the people of Quebec back infrastructure they can be proud of.”
- Charles Milliard, Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
