2021-2022 Budget of the Government of Quebec: Developments regarding circular economy and tax fairness

The 2021-2022 Budget tabled at the Quebec National Assembly on March 25th, 2021, focuses on three priorities: health, education and economic recovery. Of the $136.5 million devoted to “developing our economy in a sustainable manner”, the government plans to earmark $6 million over two years for the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade to stimulate the implementation of circular economy initiatives. This funding may be used namely to develop solutions to accelerate the reclaiming of residual materials from construction, plastics, tires, textiles and glass. Programs to support circular economy projects in industrial and commercial sectors (Appui à des projets d’économie circulaire dans les secteurs industriel et commercial) are already online on the Ministry’s website (in French).  

Another point of interest: The budget includes measures to ensure the collection of the QST in the context of the digital economy, so that all goods and services Quebecers acquire for consumption in Quebec are equally taxed, regardless of their origin. Similarly, as regards tax fairness, will the measures being introduced ensure that companies with no place of business in Quebec, but who serve Quebec consumers via electronic commerce, are required to finance curbside recycling? ÉEQ will follow-up with the appropriate government authorities regarding this matter.