Québec, August 25, 2026. – In May 2026, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) was down 0.1% from the previous month following a 0.1% increase in April 2026. This was revealed in Produit intérieur brut par industrie au Québec, mai 2026 released today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
Goods output declined by 0.7%
Output in the goods-producing industries was down 0.7% in May after remaining relatively unchanged in April. The drop in May came mainly from manufacturing (-1.2%), and to a lesser extent from utilities (-1.1%) and construction (-0.4%).
The decline observed in May in the manufacturing sector is attributable to 12 of the 18 manufacturing subsectors, particularly petroleum and coal product manufacturing (-8.1%) and food manufacturing (-1.4%).
Service production up 0.1%
Output in the service industries grew 0.1% in May after a relatively similar increase in the previous month. The increase in May was mainly due to the information and cultural industries (+1.8%), public administration (+0.5%), real estate and rental and leasing (+0.3%), and accommodation and food services (+1.4%). In contrast, wholesale trade (-1.6%) and professional, scientific and technical services (-0.4%) both recorded declines.
The accommodation and food services sector posted an increase in May (+1.4%) after rising 1.9% in April. This growth may have been supported by the Montréal Canadiens playoff games and the Canadian Grand Prix which took place in May this year.
Cumulative total for the first five months of 2026: Québec’s real GDP down 0.1%
For the first five months of 2026, Québec’s real GDP was 0.1% lower than in the same months of 2025. The sectors that contributed the most to this decrease are manufacturing (-2.9%) and public administration (-2.0%). Conversely, real estate and rental and leasing (+2.0%), finance and insurance (+3.2%) and wholesale trade (+2.2%) contributed positively to real GDP.
Canada’s real GDP up 0.3% in May 2026
According to data published by Statistics Canada on July 31, 2026, Canada’s real GDP was up 0.3% in May following a 0.6% increase in April. The output of goods and service industries increased by 0.6% and 0.2%, respectively. For the first five months of 2026, Canada’s real GDP was 0.9% higher than in the same months of 2025.
| Real gross domestic product by industry1 (percentage change) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2026 | |||
| Annual change | Monthly change | Cumulative change2 | ||
| April | May | |||
| Québec | 0.6 | 0.1 | −0.1 | −0.1 |
| Canada | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
|
1. Gross domestic product levels by industry are valued at basic prices in chained dollars (2017), seasonally adjusted and annualized. Sources |
||||
The Institut de la statistique du Québec is the public body responsible for providing reliable, objective statistical information about Québec society. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.