The cost of living, the economy and Quebec’s culture were key issues highlighted by Quebec’s five main political parties on the fourth day of the provincial election campaign on Sunday. Key details: Follow along for the latest updates: Quebec party leaders Quebecers’ top priorities Health care is the top concern among voters (54 per cent), followed by inflation and the cost of living (41 per cent) and housing (34 per cent). Instability and the trade war with the U.S. follow. Synopsis Recherche surveyed approximately 1,000 Quebec adults between Aug. 24 and 26, 2026. Robin Della Corte, CTVNewsMontreal.ca Seat count in National Assembly At dissolution of the National Assembly on Thursday, the CAQ held a majority. The following is the seat count at dissolution compared to the count after the 2022 election: Robin Della Corte, CTVNewsMontreal.ca French faces its worst decline in 50 years: PQ Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon said his party would toughen protections for the French language on Sunday, calling it Quebec’s “most precious asset” and warning it is facing its worst decline in 50 years. Plamondon blamed what he described as “inaction and half-measures” by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) for the decline. “Under the leadership of the CAQ and Christine Fréchette, all indicators related to the French language have declined,” Plamondon wrote in a statement. “Whether it concerns the language spoken at home, the mother tongue, French as the language of the workplace, the language of cultural consumption, or the use of French in businesses, the conclusion is clear: French is losing ground.” The PQ says it would extend the provisions of Bill 101 to CEGEPs and to the children of temporary immigrants who have lived in Quebec for more than 12 months. The party also plans to increase French-language requirements for obtaining or renewing work permits, with requirements varying based on job type. Agricultural workers would be exempt. The PQ says it would survey the language of socialization among young people in schools in Montreal and Laval to understand linguistic dynamics and intercultural relations. It would also launch a major initiative to improve literacy and combat illiteracy, while raising passing standards for spelling, grammar, syntax and vocabulary on Grade 10 exams. Additionally, the party would give a 10 per cent weighting to the quality of French in all assessed schoolwork, regardless of the subject. “We all remember that the CAQ promised, with its hand on its heart, to protect the French language. Yet, once again, it has done the exact opposite of what it said,” Plamondon wrote. “The French Language Commissioner — a body created by the CAQ itself — has been clear: the CAQ’s Bill 96 is insufficient to stem the decline of French. In his latest report, he even recommends adopting a ‘second-generation language policy.’” The PQ also criticized the CAQ’s immigration policies, claiming they have resulted in 53 per cent of non-French speakers choosing French over English. “For French to stop declining, that figure would need to be 90 per cent. The result of the CAQ’s immigration policies is alarming: only 65 per cent of non-French speakers are able to converse in French,” Plamondon wrote. The PQ described the situation in Montreal as “catastrophic,” stating that 44 per cent of Montrealers speak French at home. Robin Della Corte, CTVNewsMontreal.ca Abolish the QST on used goods: Conservatives The leader of the Quebec Conservative Party pledged Sunday to abolish the Quebec sales tax (QST) on used goods if his government came to power. This is the fourth economic measure the party has unveiled since the start of its campaign, as Éric Duhaime has argued that the cost of living is, in his view, the key issue in the election. Duhaime made the announcement this morning alongside his spokesperson on economic and public finance, Adrien Pouliot, during a press briefing held at a car dealership in Quebec City. “Is it normal for the government to take its cut on goods that have already been taxed once and to be able to tax them indefinitely? Obviously, the answer is no,” said Duhaime. The Quebec Conservative Party estimates that abolishing this tax would put $867 back into every family’s pocket. Duhaime also argued that the QST on used goods is an “anti-environmental” and “anti-ecological” tax. “It hinders the reuse of goods in Quebec,” he emphasized. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 30, 2026. Québec Solidaire unveils its housing plan A Québec Solidaire (QS) government would cap annual rent increases at the rate of inflation and add 50,000 social housing units during its first term, announced the party’s co-spokesperson, Ruba Ghazal. At a press conference in Montreal on Sunday morning, the QS co-spokesperson presented the party’s housing plan, which includes seven priority areas of action aimed at addressing the housing crisis. Housing is “the top priority” for QS, Ms. Ghazal stated. “We need to go further; we need to change the rules of the game,” she said. First and foremost, the party aims, within its first 100 days in office, to “implement effective rent control” by limiting annual rent increases to the rate of inflation, without exceeding 3 percent. This measure would apply both to new leases and lease renewals. A Solidarity government would also establish a national rent registry to combat excessive rent hikes. “This can be done at very little cost to the government, using technology that is already available. The CAQ’s refusal so far to establish a rent registry is for ideological reasons,” lamented Andrés Fontecilla, a Solidarity candidate in the Laurier-Dorion riding, who was present at the press conference. QS also promises to expand social and community housing so that it accounts for 20 per cent of Quebec’s rental housing stock by 2050. To achieve this, the party would build 25,000 new units of this type during its first term and remove 25,000 units from the private market. When asked about the cost of this measure, Ghazal stated all initiatives outlined in QS’s housing plan will be costed within the financial framework the party is set to present at a later date. Ghazal used Sunday morning’s press briefing to denounce remarks made Saturday by Coalition Avenir Québec leader Christine Fréchette. Fréchette stated that the housing crisis had been resolved in certain regions. “Just because units are vacant doesn’t mean people can afford them,” Ghazal retorted. QS’s housing plan aims to better protect tenants, including by banning evictions of families during the winter and the school year. The party also aims to strengthen the “Françoise David Act” to better protect seniors against eviction. A government committed to solidarity would also assist first-time homebuyers by offering them a co-investment of up to 15 per cent of the value of a new home, or 5 per cent of an existing home, provided the property is priced below the median market price. “The government’s share will be recouped by the state upon the sale of the property, which must also be made below the median market price, thereby helping to keep home prices low in the long term,” according to the QS plan. In addition, QS would crack down on illegal tourist accommodations on platforms like Airbnb by strengthening the investigative powers of Revenu Québec and municipal investigators. “Despite the CAQ’s actions, this hasn’t really resolved the situation,” said Ghazal. “And on top of that, we don’t have the resources to ensure that the laws we pass are actually enforced.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 30, 2026. CAQ rules out possibility of tax cuts CAQ leader Christine Fréchette ruled out on Sunday any possibility of tax cuts before reaching the projected balanced budget in 2029–2030. The financial framework presented by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) on the fourth day of the campaign includes additional commitments totaling more than $9 billion—details of which have yet to be provided—and a cumulative deficit of nearly $6 billion that must be eliminated. At a press conference held at a pilgrimage site, the Cap-de-la-Madeleine Shrine in Trois-Rivières, Ms. Fréchette explained her decision not to reduce taxpayers’ tax burdens. “We’re staying the course toward a balanced budget; once that balance is achieved, well, then (a tax cut) might be worth considering,” she said. Yet she had admitted just before that `if there’s one top priority for Quebecers, it’s the cost of living, and we’re going to address it in various ways.’ Furthermore, the CAQ is counting on `expected revenues’ from the federal government, to use Fréchette’s words, but without any formal commitment from Ottawa. In total, Quebec expects federal funds totaling more than 4.3 billion over five years, including 2 billion in advance reimbursements for expenses related to asylum seekers. The increase in federal transfers projected by the CAQ starting in 2027–2028 would stem in part from the renewal of agreements with Ottawa in the areas of mental health, home care, and long-term care, as well as from the projected 5 per cent increase in the Canada Health Transfer beginning in 2028–2029. However, Ottawa has not yet officially confirmed anything or signed any agreements. “Has Mr. (Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe) Champagne promised to say yes to these requests? He will respond in his budget next fall,” said Finance Minister Eric Girard, standing alongside Ms. Fréchette. The CAQ is also counting on increased profitability from state-owned enterprises to generate an additional $500 million over five years. In addition, a potential CAQ government wants to reduce the contingency reserve—a cushion in case of a crisis—from $2 billion to $1.5 billion next year, then by $500 million the following year, before returning to $1 billion. Christine Fréchette’s party also plans to add $6 billion to the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, bringing the total to $180 billion within five years. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 30, 2026. Cap rent increases in private senior residences Liberal leader Charles Milliard promises to cap rent and service fee increases in private seniors’ residences (RPA). Furthermore, if a residence wishes to exceed this cap, it will have to demonstrate before the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL) that the increase is justified. Currently, it is the senior’s responsibility to challenge the increase. The Liberals are therefore proposing to reverse this burden. The percentage of this cap, however, has not yet been determined. It will vary from year to year. “I don’t throw numbers around just to make headlines like others do. That’s not my style. What I’m telling you is the principle. We’re going to sit down with the TAL. We’re going to sit down with our partners. I’m not going to war against nursing homes; I’m going to war against injustices toward our seniors,” explained Charles Milliard during a press briefing on Sunday in Quebec City. “However, this new protection can never come at the expense of care. A retirement home will not be able to reduce the frequency or intensity of essential care provided to a resident to stay within the cap,” the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) stated in a press release on Sunday. The PLQ states that it will propose “special support” for small senior care residences in rural areas. The Liberal leader declined to say how much this assistance might cost. “I have the figure, but I’ll present it as part of the fiscal plan in the coming days,” he said. The Liberals maintain that the average cost of housing in a senior residence has increased by 18 per cent over four years. Charles Milliard also used his announcement to take a swipe at his opponents in the campaign. He accused the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) of being responsible for the closure of 760 small senior residences over the past eight years. “No one will make me say that this government has taken care of our seniors (...) Their slogan, “Let’s Move Forward,” I think is mainly to keep us from looking in the rearview mirror and seeing disastrous news like what I mentioned to you this morning about the small seniors’ residences," the Liberal leader quipped. Charles Milliard also stated that the Parti Québécois’ (PQ) plan to reduce immigration “significantly” will have an impact on the labor shortage in senior care facilities. “We’re going to exacerbate a problem that’s already at a critical stage,” he argued. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 30, 2026.
