Lower Taxes, Flexible Regulation Could Have Prevented 140K Poverty Cases in Quebec: Report

Lower taxes and more flexible regulation in Quebec could have prevented 140,000 poverty cases in the province, according to a newly-released report. The study, published by public policy think tank the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), identifies the level of taxation and industry regulations as a hurdle for Quebec residents. “The economic literature is very clear: the weight of regulation and taxes has a negative impact on economic growth, and ultimately on social mobility,” MEI senior economist Vincent Geloso wrote. “If Quebec had a level of economic freedom similar to Alberta’s, 140,000 fewer Quebecers would have experienced an episode of poverty.” The study authors compared Quebec’s fiscal regulatory environment to Alberta using Statistics Canada data. They concluded that if the French province was more like Alberta, there would have been fewer cases of poverty between 2013 and 2020....