on January 24, 2024, published its recommendations to Quebec Finance Minister Éric Girard for the 2024-2025 budget.
The FCCQ's pre-budget submission to the Quebec government can be consulted at
Among its priorities for 2024-2025, the government should prioritize reducing the tax burden on SMEs, stimulating business investment and re-entry, and increasing efforts in terms of territorial development and access to Quebec's regions.
" The economic forecasts for 2024, and even subsequent years, point to major challenges for our SMEs and our regions. We need to close ranks and offer them the necessary support, by applying a 'regions filter' to our public policies", said Charles Milliard, President and CEO of the FCCQ.
for the first $1 million in SME payroll, could be highly beneficial measures for businesses.
The FCCQ and the (acronym) advocate faster deployment of the $500 million over five years in venture capital provided for in the
. In order to encourage the regionalization of investments, a portion of these funds could also be dedicated specifically to the capitalization of private funds established outside Greater Montreal.
" Additional support should also be offered to our buyers. Entrepreneurial succession and business transfers are structural challenges that are growing in importance every year, and are of particular importance to our regions. The financial requirements to meet them are substantial, and the government can and must do more," concluded Charles Milliard.
The ability of regional businesses to invest depends on the predictability of their access to energy and infrastructure. Public funding for new power transmission lines should be strengthened, and the Public Transit Development Program enhanced. Extending the Programme d'accès aérien aux régions (PAAR) to all regional routes would also be beneficial.
" For the economy of our regions, access to manpower and the ability to house it are major challenges. In 2024, the government should better align economic immigration with regional needs and integration capacities. It should also stimulate inter-regional labour mobility, by eliminating the normative barriers that limit it, and increase the regional supply of rental and condominium housing, by reducing the number of authorizations and the time required to build," continued Mr. Milliard.
Thanks to its vast network of nearly 120 chambers of commerce and more than 1,000 corporate members, the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) represents more than 45,000 businesses operating in all sectors of the economy throughout Quebec. The largest network of business people and companies in Quebec, the FCCQ is both a federation of chambers of commerce and a provincial chamber of commerce. Its members, whether chambers or companies, all pursue the same goal: to foster an innovative and competitive business environment.
The Chamber of Commerce represents over 200 members in the territory that includes the municipalities of Murdochville, Grande-Vallée, Petite-Vallée, Cloridorme and Gaspé. Its primary mission is to represent the interests of its members, and to bring together, support and serve its members and partners through actions adapted to the socio-economic reality of the territory.
