Quebec’s auditor general says the province’s public finances are in order ahead of the fall election, but she warns that nothing can be taken for granted for the years to come because of economic uncertainty.
Guylaine Leclerc has concluded that the finance minister’s forecasts for this fiscal year and the next two are “plausible,” but she says that the situation could change due to rising inflation, the war in Ukraine and pandemic-related disruptions.
Leclerc adds that a continued rise in inflation could have a temporary positive impact on government revenues.
The auditor general is tasked with determining whether the government’s financial forecasts, estimates and assumptions made ahead of the October provincial election are realistic.
The purpose of Leclerc’s review is to ensure that political parties have accurate information on which to base their platforms and can’t claim to be surprised by an unexpected deficit or surplus after the Oct. 3 election.
Quebec finance Minister Eric Girard is scheduled to discuss his pre-election report at a news conference later today.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2022.
The Canadian Press
