Indemnities and Allowances

Members of the National Assembly receive remuneration in the form of indemnities and various allowances:

• Basic Annual Indemnity
• Additional Indemnity for Parliamentary Office Holders
• Annual Expense Allowance
• Allowance for Travel in Ridings and Elsewhere in Québec
• Reimbursement of Travel Expenses
• Reimbursement of Accommodation Expenses in Québec City
• Budget for the Operation of a Riding Office
• Members' Budget for Payroll Expenses
• Travel Expenses for MNA Staff
• House Officers’ Budget for Payroll Expenses   
• Budget for the Operation of a House Office
• Budgets Allocated to Political Parties for Support Staff and Research

Groups of Ridings

For some of the following allowances, the amounts vary according to the group (1 to 4) to which the riding belongs, since Québec’s 125 ridings are divided into 4 groups based on their physical size.

For instance, the smaller urban ridings are in group 1, while the very large ridings in rural areas are in group 3. The ridings of Duplessis and Ungava, which are exceptionally large, are in group 4.

Consult the list of riding groups (PDF, 59 KB, French only)

Basic Annual Indemnity

Under section 1 of the Act respecting the conditions of employment and the pension plan of the Members of the National Assembly, MNAs receive a basic annual indemnity set at $88,186 on April 1, 2013.

The annual indemnity is increased by the same percentage as the salaries of senior executive officers in the public service, as of the effective dates of the new salary scales.

Additional Indemnity for Parliamentary Office Holders

MNAs who hold parliamentary or ministerial office receive an additional indemnity that corresponds to a percentage of their basic annual indemnity.

If an MNA holds two or more positions for which an additional indemnity is granted, he or she is entitled only to the higher indemnity.

Table of additional indemnities — April 1, 2013

More on

• MNAs who hold parliamentary or ministerial office
• the responsibilities associated with parliamentary and ministerial office

Annual Expense Allowance

MNAs receive an annual expense allowance for the reimbursement of expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, including meal and accommodation expenses in their riding or outside Québec City, representation expenses, etc.

The allowance is adjusted on January 1 every year based on the Consumer Price Index for Canada established by Statistics Canada. As at January 1, 2013, the allowance was $16,027.

Allowance for Travel in Ridings and Elsewhere in Québec

MNAs are entitled to a monthly allowance for travel expenses, including expenses for travel within their riding. The amount of the allowance varies according to the group to which the riding belongs.

For the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, the annual travel allowance for political activities in Québec is as follows:

Additional Allowance

Due to certain constraints and characteristics unique to their ridings, the Members for Berthier, Duplessis and Ungava are also entitled to an additional allowance, which is paid on presentation of vouchers for actual costs incurred for travel within their riding. This allowance enables them to visit communities that are difficult or impossible to reach by land.

The additional allowance is

• $1,500 for the Member for Berthier
• $10,000 for the Member for Duplessis
• $16,000 for the Member for Ungava

Reimbursement of Travel Expenses

Reimbursement of Expenses for Travel Between a Riding and the Parliament Building

On presentation of vouchers, the National Assembly reimburses the expenses incurred by MNAs for travel between their riding offices and the Parliament Building.

MNAs who travel by plane, bus or train may be reimbursed for the cost of an economy class ticket as well as related costs.

MNAs who travel by car are entitled to an allowance equal to $0.45 per kilometre between their riding office and the Parliament Building.

Number of Trips Reimbursed

MNAs are entitled to a maximum of 60 return trips per fiscal year between their riding office and the Parliament Building, including 5 return trips for their spouse or dependent children.

MNAs who hold the offices listed below are entitled to 10 additional return trips per fiscal year:

• Vice-President (Deputy Speaker) of the National Assembly
• Official Opposition House Leader or House Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• Deputy House Leader or Deputy Official Opposition House Leader
• Government Whip or Official Opposition Whip
• Whip of the Second Opposition Group
• Deputy Government Whip or Deputy Official Opposition Whip
• Chair of the Government Caucus or Chair of the Official Opposition Caucus
• Chair or Vice–Chair of a Standing Committee
• Member of the Office of the National Assembly

MNAs representing ridings that are wholly or partially included in or are adjoining to Québec City are not entitled to the reimbursement of their expenses for travel between their riding and the Parliament Building.

Reimbursement of Accommodation Expenses in Québec City

MNAs are entitled to the reimbursement of their accommodation expenses in Québec City or the immediate vicinity, provided their principal residence is

• outside Québec City
• outside an adjoining riding, i.e. outside Chauveau, La Peltrie and Montmorency

For the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, accommodation expenses are reimbursed up to $14,900.

The reimbursement covers

• the cost of renting a room in a hotel
  or
• the rental of a dwelling
  or
• the amount of the rental value of a secondary residence owned by the MNA or the MNA’s spouse

The reimbursement also covers

• the rental value certificate
• telephone service
• housekeeping service
• parking
• electricity
• fire, theft and liability insurance
• cable television
• monthly Internet fees

MNAs who hold the following offices are entitled to an additional amount of $3,000 annually as a reimbursement of their accommodation expenses:

• President of the National Assembly (Speaker)
• Premier
• Leader of the Official Opposition
• Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• Government House Leader, Official Opposition House Leader, House Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• Chief Government Whip, Chief Official Opposition Whip
• Whip of the Second Opposition Group
• Chair of the Government Caucus, Chair of the Official Opposition Caucus

Budget for the Operation of a Riding Office

The amount allocated annually to MNAs for the rental and operation of a riding office varies according to the group to which the riding belongs. For the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, the operation budgets are as follows:

Consult the list of riding groups (PDF, 59 KB, French only)

In addition to rent, MNAs may be reimbursed for the cost of

• stationery and office supplies
• newspapers and specialized databases
• postal and parcel services
• purchase or rental of photocopiers, fax machines, furniture, office equipment, decorative accessories and works of art
• GPS receivers, pagers and answering machines
• purchase and use of a cell phone
• purchase, installation, use and maintenance of an alarm system
• fire, theft, vandalism and civil liability insurance
• electricity and heating
• regular bank fees
• rental taxes
• moving and setting up
• parking and snow removal
• meet and greets or light snacks for constituents
• rental of a room in the riding
• advertising required for the operation of the riding office
• publication of informative or opinion texts or printing and distribution of bulk mail
• setting up and updating a website or blog

Property acquired using MNA allowances remains the property of the Assembly and is recorded in the inventory register of each MNA. MNAs must return the property to the Assembly when leaving office.

Members' Budget for Payroll Expenses

MNAs are granted a basic budget to cover payroll expenses. MNAs who represent group 3 or group 4 ridings and standing committee chairs and vice-chairs are granted an additional amount.

For the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, the basic budget for payroll expenses is set at $162,888.

The additional amount is

• $14,887 for MNAs in group 3 ridings, for a total of $177,775
• $47,823 for MNAs in group 4 ridings and the following group 3 ridings: Arthabaska, Bonaventure, Charlevoix-Côte-de-Beaupré, Côte-du-Sud, Gaspé, Matane-Matapédia, Lotbinière-Frontenac and Rivière-du-Loup-Témiscouata, for a total of $210,711
• $5,549 for standing committee chairs
• $3,328 for standing committee vice-chairs

Travel expenses for MNA Staff

The annual allowance for the reimbursement of MNA staff travel expenses varies according to the group to which the riding belongs. For the period from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014, the allowance is as follows:

Reimbursable expenses include meal and travel expenses and hotel accommodation.

House Officers’ Budget for Payroll Expenses – 40th Legislature

As with other Members, House officers have a budget for payroll expenses. This is used by each House officer to pay his or her riding and parliamentary staff.

For the period from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, the budgets for the payroll expenses of House officers are as follows:

• $933,284 for the President of the Assembly
• $386,531 for each of the three Vice-Presidents
• $933,284 for the Government House Leader
• $842,328 for the Chief Government Whip
• $1,775,521 for the Leader of the Official Opposition
• $663,054 for the Official Opposition House Leader
• $834,515 for the Chief Official Opposition Whip
• $700,472 for the Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• $340,504 for the House Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• $336,415 for the Whip of the Second Opposition Group

Budget for the Operation of a House Office – 40th Legislature

House officers also have a budget to cover their office expenses.

For the period from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, these budgets are as follows:

• $100,800 for the President of the Assembly
• $16,000 for each of the three Vice-Presidents
• $34,200 for the Government House Leader
• $98,700 for the Chief Government Whip
• $266,200 for the Leader of the Official Opposition
• $26,600 for the Official Opposition House Leader
• $98,700 for the Chief Official Opposition Whip
• $165,300 for the Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• $5,000 for the House Leader of the Second Opposition Group
• $30,300 for the Whip of the Second Opposition Group

Budgets Allocated to Political Parties for Support Staff and Research – 40th Legislature

Under section 108 of the Act respecting the National Assembly, each party represented in the Assembly following the most recent general election, as well as any independent Members, receives a budget for support staff and research. This budget is used to pay staff and the expenses related to research.

For the period from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014, the budgets for the political parties represented in the National Assembly are as follows:

• $845,400 for the Parti québécois
• $795,400 for the Quebec Liberal Party
• $120,000 for the Coalition avenir Québec
• $159,100 for Québec solidaire

Additional Information

• Regulation Respecting Members' and House Officers' Allowances and Research and Administrative Support Funding (decision No. 1603 dated November 10, 2011) (PDF, 293 KB, French only)
• Regulation Respecting the Remuneration and Conditions of Employment of Members of a Member's staff (decision No. 1283 dated December 8, 2005) (PDF, 181 KB, French only)
• Regulation Respecting the Remuneration and Conditions of Employment of Members of a House Officer's Staff (decision No. 1284 dated December 8, 2005) (PDF, 164 KB, French only)
• Rules of conduct applicable to the staff of Members and House officers of the National Assembly (decision No. 1690 dated March 21, 2013) (PDF, 67 KB, French only)
• Current MNAs
• Parliamentary and Ministerial Office Holders