Québec, August 21, 2025 – How can a society’s progress be measured in a way that takes into account what matters to people, such as health, education, the environment, and material conditions? This is the thorough exercise carried out by the Institut de la statistique du Québec with the Québec Progress Indicators since 2022.
This set of 15 indicators measures progress in a multidimensional way as a complement to gross domestic product (GDP), taking inequalities and the sustainability of human activity into account.
Trend summary: Québec Progress Indicators
Progressive trends across several metrics
Employment rate and personal income have increased in recent years while poverty has decreased, consistent with growth trends in GDP per capita between 2008 and 2023.
Law enforcement has reported less crime since 2008, while the gap between high school graduates in affluent and underserved areas shrunk between 2012 and 2023.
However, temperature anomalies have increased since the 20th century, with average annual temperatures exceeding twentieth-century averages every year since 1998.
Recent variations to monitor
Some recent fluctuations go against trend, possibly due to one-time factors like post-pandemic adjustments or extraordinary events. The coming years will show whether these variations will lead into new trends or remain outliers.
View the Québec Progress Indicators dashboard
Read the results analysis (PDF, 3 MB)
Additional resource
Québec society is trending in the right direction, but inequalities between women and men endure. What are these inequalities, and how have they changed over time? An examination of the inequalities between women and men, based on the Cadre de mesure du progrès pour le Québec [framework for measuring progress in Québec], was recently released.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. 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.