Shawinigan, August 29, 2026 — Noting that the administrative and regulatory burden on Quebec businesses costs them nearly 11 billion dollars a year, the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Mr. Charles Milliard, pledges to take action as soon as he is elected to reduce the administrative burden that is stifling Quebec’s economy.
After two CAQ administrations, 87% of Quebec SMEs believe the government needs to do more to reduce their regulatory burden. They currently spend the equivalent of 32 workdays per year on government paperwork.
The Quebec Liberal Party proposes:
- An immediate moratorium on any new regulations that increase the regulatory burden on businesses;
- A 2-for-1 reduction rule applicable to all administrative requirements;
- Maximum response times for departments and agencies;
- The creation of a rapid-response team, Efficacité Québec. This team will assist entrepreneurs and innovators who are stuck in the bureaucratic maze.
A QLP government will work tirelessly to make Quebec one of the most competitive business environments in the world and to address the structural issues that limit our economy’s growth potential.
The CAQ government has added $2.4 billion in regulatory costs to small and medium-sized businesses since 2018, while its successive omnibus bills have reduced those costs by only about $200 million. The result is reflected in the SME confidence index, which is at its lowest level in 16 years. This regulatory burden has a direct impact on the cost of goods and services produced in Quebec.
Entrepreneurs aren't calling for the elimination of regulations. They're asking that they stop piling up.
“For the past eight years, the problem has been a lack of political will. Over two terms in office, the CAQ has been unable to tackle the problem head-on. For every piece of red tape the CAQ has eliminated, it has added twelve. Five omnibus bills and a new deregulation policy later, the burden on small businesses continues to grow. And promising a referendum in the next term isn’t going to create conditions conducive to economic growth. Our entrepreneurs waste a month every year on red tape. “We’re going to give them that time back so they can do what they do best: build.”
- Charles Milliard, Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
More details:
1. Impose an immediate moratorium on the new regulations:
- As soon as the Liberal government takes office, no new rules or regulations will be introduced that would increase the administrative burden on municipalities and small and medium-sized businesses.
2. Apply the “two-for-one” rule to an entire term in private practice:
- For every new regulatory or administrative requirement that is introduced, two are eliminated;
- Make the rule applicable to all departments and agencies, with an initial assessment and an annual report.
3. Establish reasonable, predictable, and consistent response times:
- Set mandatory deadlines for processing government applications, in order to speed up the implementation of projects and provide entrepreneurs with the predictability they currently lack.
4. Efficacité Québec:
- Establish a rapid-response team to assist businesses that are facing bureaucratic red tape, in order to help them move their projects forward;
- A small team capable of liaising directly with several government departments so that the company has a single point of contact;
- The authority to recommend legislative changes to enable the rapid implementation of projects.
