Quebec Finance Minister Éric Girard will present the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 today, just over six months before the provincial elections.

The budget comes at a time when the Quebec government is under pressure to help residents cope with inflation and rising living costs as efforts continue to outline plans addressing pandemic recovery.

Girard said in February that his spring budget would be responsible and focus on sound management of government priorities such as health and education.

Opposition politicians have called on the government to freeze electricity and water bills and cut gasoline taxes.

However, Premier François Legault indicated that he prefers instead to return money directly to Quebec residents in this election year.

An economic update released in November forecasted a deficit of $6.8 billion for the 2021-22 fiscal year—a decrease from the $12.3 billion expected in last year's spring budget—and GDP growth of 6.5 percent.

Girard said the province aims to return to balanced budgets by the 2027-28 fiscal year.

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair