With just a few days to go before the Quebec election campaign kicks off, the promises keep coming. Liberal leader Charles Milliard wants to make “the government a simpler, faster, and more reliable client” for Quebec businesses. “Doing business with the government shouldn’t be a bureaucratic endurance test. We absolutely must eliminate unnecessary requirements and interactions with the Quebec government,” Milliard said during a press briefing in Lévis on Friday morning. The Liberal leader noted that more than 32,000 Quebec government contracts, totalling nearly $32 billion, were awarded in 2024. “We want a larger share of that money to stay in Quebec. Where applicable rules allow, we will henceforth mandate a 15 per cent preference for Quebec-based suppliers,” he explained. Milliard is also promising to move away from the principle of awarding contracts to the lowest compliant bidder. “Price, of course, matters—especially given the current state of public finances—but quality, sustainability, performance, innovation, and carbon footprint must become key criteria in public procurement,” he said. The Liberals hope to promote awarding contracts to Quebec companies and foster innovation. The Liberal leader also plans to reduce the Quebec government’s payment terms to 30 days, “just like in the private sector.”
