Half a billion for economic development

What is likely to be the CAQ’s final provincial budget has been highlighted by the province’s net debt of more than $250 billion, an increase in spending in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and almost $2 billion for supporting businesses and ecomomic transformation efforts.

This includes the creation of a $500 million fund that will “provide loan guarantees to enable Indigenous communities to participate financially in economic projects,” the government said.

Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo said that the MCK is still analyzing the province’s budget and what this fund will mean in practice for a community like Kahnawake.

“With $500 million spread between 43 communities, just by simple math, you’re talking a little bit over $10 million each per community. That’s not too bad, I would suppose,” said Diabo, while adding that in the current economic climate, it does not amount to that much for larger-scale projects.

While the MCK won’t necessarily lift their nose up at that kind of help from the province, he said Kahnawake has proven itself capable of handling its economic development in the last few years.

This has included the growth in own-source revenue through renewable energy projects like the Hertel line and the wind farm project, as well as working with the Port of Montreal for the Contrecoeur expansion project.

He also said that economic development in Kahnawake could come from tobacco or gaming, something the provincial government is not too keen to see expanded, due to the criminalized or heavily regulated nature of these industries in the province.

“It makes it very difficult to advance or sell economic projects if the province is saying that they’ll criminalize it. Sometimes, it’s as clear as just getting out of our way, and we don’t need the $500 million to do something,” said Diabo.

That being said, the MCK won’t completely close the door on what the fund can cover, and they will analyze the budget more thoroughly in the coming weeks.

The provincial budget has been met by criticism by social organizations for the lack of concrete funding plans beyond the current fiscal year - a governing party other than the CAQ is likely to form government by then.

In a press release following the tabling of the budget, the Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ) said that the Viens Commission findings still necessitate funds and resources, which will be lacking without a firm commitment from the province.

“While demand for the Native Friendship Centres’ services continues to grow, the absence of impactful, lasting measures to support their development limits the Centres’ ability to fully respond to the realities of increasing numbers of First Nations members and Inuit living in urban areas.

“The 2026–2027 budget provides no indication that program funding will be maintained or increased beyond the current fiscal year, which hinders long-term service planning and development,” said the RCAAQ in the release.

“The RCAAQ’s position is clear: Budgetary restraints must not lead to second-rate services for urban Indigenous populations. A budget that fails to take Indigenous realities into account will widen socio-economic gaps between Indigenous and other populations in Quebec, turning budget cuts into social cuts for society’s most vulnerable.”

[email protected]