What the Quebec budget means for you: Netflix tax, home renos and craft beer

There are dozens of new measures, both large and small, in Quebec’s 2018 budget. Here’s how some of them will affect you.

There are dozens of measures in the annual financial plan. Here’s how some of them will affect you

Jonathan Montpetit · CBC News · Posted: Mar 27, 2018 4:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 27, 2018

What are you getting out of this budget? Improved health promotion initiatives and free museum Sundays, among other things. (CBC)

There are plenty of new measures, both small and large, in the fiscal plan laid out Tuesday. This will budget will make you…

A little bit richer

Buying that first home? Beginning this year, you'll be eligible for up to $750 in tax credits to help cover expenses such as inspections and notary fees. As many as 47,000 families in the province could be eligible.

The popular RénoVert tax credit will be getting a one-year extension. Homeowners can claim up to 20 per cent of eco-friendly renovations that cost more than $2,500.

You could get cash back on your renos, if they are eco-friendly. (Shutterstock/Andy Dean Photography)

A little bit poorer

Your monthly Netflix bill will be higher come Jan. 1, 2019, by a measure of 9.975 per cent to be precise. Same for anything bought on iTunes or Spotify.

That's because foreign companies selling goods or services to Quebecers over the internet will be forced to start collecting provincial sales tax. Quebec believes it's losing out on $226.8 million annually in tax revenues from e-commerce.

It's going to cost more to get your Stranger Things fix starting next year. (Netflix)

More cultured

Good news for frugal art lovers and history buffs — museums supported by the government will offer free visits one Sunday a month. The measure will cost an estimated $5 million over five years.

Artists in the province will also be getting a boost — $17.4 million has been set aside this year to help directors, writers and musicians produce and promote their work.

Montreal museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, will be free to visit (sometimes). (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Healthier

The government is putting $31 million into health promotion initiatives. This includes money to encourage healthy lifestyle habits and reduce addiction.

It is aiming for a 20 per cent increase in the number of teens who stay active in their down time. Could fewer moody teenagers be on the horizon?

The budget includes money for measures that promote preventive medicine, such as cycling. (Charles Contant/CBC)

Drink better beer

The budget contains a number of measures to help the province's fledgling craft-brewery scene, including incentives to use locally sourced ingredients.