Quebec PQ leader’s third- and fourth-child payment plan faces scrutiny

Parti Québécois leader Paul StPierre Plamondon says families with three children would receive an additional $350, and families with four children would receive $700 if he becomes premier. He argues the higher payments reflect the added cost of raising a larger family in Quebec. CBC reviewed that claim with economists and available data. A 2024 study found that carseat rules can make it harder for some families to fit a third child in a vehicle, but Statistics Canada data suggests the cost per child generally falls as families grow. Experts say the marginal cost of a third child is still meaningful, but it is not necessarily higher than the cost of the first or second. Researchers also estimate that raising a child in Quebec can cost roughly $18,000 to $22,000 a year, though the exact amount varies. They say policies that help working parents, improve child care, and make housing more affordable may do more to support families than direct cash transfers aimed at larger families.