Bill 89 aiming to protect the public from abusive work stoppages must apply to the public sector to be effective, says MEI

• Since 2023, 91 per cent of Canadian work stoppages affected Quebec.

Montreal, May 8, 2025 – The Quebec government should extend the scope of Bill 89 so that it also applies to employees of the public and parapublic sectors, recommends an MEI Viewpoint published this morning.

“The dramatic growth in the number of strikes clearly shows that these are no longer a tool of last resort, but have become the norm for unions, especially in the public sector,” says Gabriel Giguère, senior policy analyst at the MEI. “Unfortunately, as the government recognizes, it is Quebec families that pay the price for these abuses.”

In 2023, Quebecers endured a total of 691 work stoppages, breaking the previous record of 384 set in 1974 on the eve of the Cliche Commission.

In 2024, that record was broken again with 759 work stoppages affecting Quebecers that year.

Moreover, Quebec’s share of all work stoppages in Canada since 2023 was 91 per cent, the vast majority of which were strikes.

The Legault government introduced Bill 89, An Act to give greater consideration to the needs of the population in the event of a strike or a lock-out, at the start of the year.

If it is adopted, this bill will allow the government to designate certain services that need to be maintained during a strike or lockout, thus expanding the notion of essential services.

However, it includes a significant exemption: it will not apply to the public and health sectors.

Yet, since 2023, 87 per cent of work stoppages in Quebec have targeted public institutions, in particular in the education, healthcare, and social services sectors.

“The Legault government rightly recognizes that the sharp increase in strikes harms the population, and in particular parents and children in Quebec,” adds Mr. Giguère. “Bill 89 will miss its mark, however, if it is not extended so that it also applies to the public and parapublic sectors.”

The MEI Viewpoint is available here.

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The MEI is an independent public policy think tank with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary. Through its publications, media appearances, and advisory services to policymakers, the MEI stimulates public policy debate and reforms based on sound economics and entrepreneurship.

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