Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette announced Monday that the province will permanently eliminate the Quebec Sales Tax on a range of everyday grocery and pharmacy products, with the exemption set to take effect on July 15.
Fréchette made the announcement at a Metro grocery store in Sherbrooke, alongside Finance Minister Eric Girard. “We need to give Quebecers some breathing room,” she said, pointing to the U.S. trade war, the conflict in the Middle East, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as factors piling onto the cost of living pressures already felt across the province.
The premier also framed the move as a fix for what she called a kind of inconsistency in the existing tax structure, where certain products only became tax-exempt when purchased in packs of six or more.
The measure is expected to cost the provincial treasury around $100 million per year. Notably, Fréchette emphasized that unlike the federal GST holiday introduced by Justin Trudeau’s government between December 2024 and February 2025, this exemption is meant to be permanent.
Which products are affected?
Among the items that will no longer be subject to QST are pre-cut and ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, granola bars and granola products, salted nuts and seeds, individually sold muffins, toilet paper, and facial tissues.
What else did the province announce?
The QST exemption was one of three cost-of-living measures announced Monday. The provincial government also said it will reduce licence plate fees by roughly $50 for one year, a change that will be applied automatically starting September 1.
On top of that, a one-time payment of up to $200 will be sent to Quebecers who qualify for the solidarity tax credit, with the first deposits going out automatically on June 4.
The announcements are part of a broader push by Fréchette since she replaced former Premier François Legault in April. She previously announced that first-time homebuyers would be reimbursed for their welcome tax, another measure aimed at easing the financial burden on Quebec residents.
This story was inspired by the article “Québec supprime la TVQ de plusieurs produits en épicerie et pharmacie et voici quoi savoir” which was originally published on Narcity.
