Val-d’Or, July 6, 2026 — During a visit to Val-d’Or, Charles Milliard today unveiled a proposal aimed at ensuring that mining benefits are directed more toward the communities that create Québec’s wealth.
Given that the Quebec Liberal Party wishes to further develop Quebec’s mining potential, it appears necessary to supplement existing mechanisms with a new tool designed specifically for mining communities.
To achieve this, a Liberal government will create a Mining Community Development Fund. Financed by a portion of mining tax revenues, this new fund will provide RCMs with mining operations in their territory with a stable and predictable budget to carry out infrastructure projects that meet the needs of their communities.
“Communities that host mining operations contribute directly to Québec’s prosperity. It is only fair that they also benefit more from the economic spinoffs generated in their communities. Mining development must not only create wealth; it must also leave a lasting legacy in the communities that make that wealth possible.”
- Charles Milliard, Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
The Fund will complement the Natural Resource Revenue Sharing Program. Funds will be distributed according to a transparent formula that takes into account the specific realities of mining communities, and the RCMs will have genuine autonomy to invest according to their territories’ priorities, particularly in housing, infrastructure, local services, economic diversification, and attracting workers.
“We trust the MRCs. They are the ones who best understand the needs of their regions. We want to give them the means to invest where residents will see the benefits: in housing, infrastructure, local services, and projects that will sustainably improve their quality of life.”
— Pierre Dufour, Quebec Liberal Party candidate in Abitibi-Est
By enabling local communities to benefit more from the economic benefits of mining development, this measure will also help strengthen public acceptance of these projects and make local communities true partners in Québec’s economic development.
This measure aims to:
- Ensure a more equitable redistribution of the economic benefits of mining;
- To better support communities that host mining operations;
- Provide MRCs with stable and predictable funding to facilitate long-term planning;
- Give MRCs greater autonomy in decisions concerning their development;
- Enable investments tailored to the specific needs of each region;
- Enhance the appeal and vitality of mining regions;
- Promote greater social acceptance of mining projects.
