Quebec’s five main political parties continued making promises on immigration, transit, taxes and home care on Saturday, as the election campaign entered its third day. The general election is scheduled for Oct. 5. 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 Parti Québécois plans to hold referendum If he takes office on October 5, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will hold a referendum during his first term, even though 60 per cent of Quebecers think it’s a bad idea. In fact, according to a Léger poll published Saturday in Quebecor’s media outlets, the PQ’s referendum ranks at the bottom of Quebecers’ favorite campaign promises. Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed believe that “making Quebec a country” is not a good policy. The idea is nearly as unpopular as a tax hike. “We’re going to do what we say, and say what we do,” the PQ leader insisted Saturday during a press conference in Quebec City, in the riding of Chauveau. He burst out laughing when a reporter asked him if there was any chance he might back down from his commitment to hold a referendum during his first term. The PQ recently announced it would not hold a referendum before January 20, 2029—the end of Donald Trump’s term in the White House. “Our commitments are clear,” he stated on Saturday, before heading off to play a game of pickleball with some of his candidates from the Quebec City region. Seizing the opportunity, CAQ leader Christine Fréchette appealed to “level-headed and realistic” sovereignists. “Many people who might be tempted to vote ‘Yes’ (...) are aware that this is the worst time in the last 50 years to hold a referendum,” she said in Drummondville. “I invite those people to join our coalition; we’re open,” she added. When asked to respond to Ms. Fréchette’s remarks, St-Pierre Plamondon initially called them an “attack.” “Am I going to respond to every attack every day?” He then acknowledged that it was not an attack. “I would say that Christine Fréchette’s speech could, in every respect, have been that of (the Liberals) Jean Charest and Philippe Couillard a few years ago.” “It’s a fear campaign that’s starting to get ridiculous,” he said indignantly. The Léger poll was conducted online from August 21 to 24, 2026, among 1,010 Quebecers aged 18 and older. Meanwhile, the PQ devoted its third day of campaigning to immigration. Saying he wanted to “fix” what the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) had broken, St-Pierre Plamondon pledged to reduce the permanent immigration threshold to 35,000. The CAQ’s current threshold is 45,000. The PQ also promises to cut temporary immigration in half, “while protecting sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.” The party would impose a moratorium on economic immigration. Under a PQ government, all economic immigrants would come from the pool of temporary immigrants already in the province. According to the PQ, Quebec’s capacity to receive immigrants was greatly exceeded during the CAQ’s years in office, which, they argue, placed considerable pressure on public services. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 29, 2026. Investing in public transit: Québec Solidaire “Immigration is an asset,” said Ruba Ghazal, spokesperson for Québec Solidaire (QS), on Saturday morning, in response to remarks made by the PQ leader on immigration. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon had just linked overcrowding in schools to the arrival of immigrants, which irritated Ms. Ghazal. “I find it appalling that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon continues to speak about immigration in such a negative light,” Ghazal said during a press briefing in Quebec City, alongside her co-spokesperson, Sol Zanetti, and the incumbent member for Taschereau, Etienne Grandmont. “I myself was that immigrant child,” recalled the prospective premier, who is of Palestinian origin and was born in Lebanon. “At the age of ten, I attended a Quebec public school, and it is thanks to that very school that I am here before you today.” She urged political parties “to be careful” about how they debate this issue in the public arena. “When we look at the maintenance deficit in our infrastructure—particularly in schools—and the lack of space, we can’t just say it’s because of immigration. These problems existed before,” Ghazal argued. To mark the third day of the campaign, QS pledged to repair and expand the province’s public transit systems. The party promises to invest as much money in this infrastructure as it does in road transportation infrastructure. If elected, a Solidarity government will launch “the largest public transit infrastructure repair project,” Ghazal said. These promises are aimed primarily at major urban centers, particularly the Greater Montreal area, where the party hopes to retain its seven seats. QS wants to renovate the Montreal metro, “which is falling into disrepair,” and make it fully accessible to users with reduced mobility and extend the Orange Line to Laval. The party also promises to carry out the “landmark project in East Montreal.” The cities of Quebec City and Gatineau will not be left out, as the party intends to continue developing their respective tramway projects there. The left-wing party estimates that these massive projects will cost $23 billion over 10 years—an investment necessary to promote the ecological transition, Ms. Ghazal argued. “All the political parties that have been in power have neglected to maintain what we’ve already built, and the longer we wait, the more it costs,” she argued. Where does the party plan to find these billions? The aspiring premier did not answer the question directly. She said that during the campaign, the party will present “a rigorous, extremely rigorous, and extremely well-thought-out financial framework.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 29, 2026. Lower prices at the pump: Conservatives On the third day of the election campaign, the leader of the Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ), Éric Duhaime, is once again facing backlash over controversial remarks made by another of his candidates. Guy Diotte, who is running for the PCQ in the Montreal riding of Westmount–Saint-Louis, reportedly expressed support for Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, in addition to spreading anti-vaccine rhetoric and mocking an elderly man wearing a mask in a grocery store. This was revealed by La Presse early Saturday afternoon. Diotte apologized in a statement sent to the newspaper, asserting that these are no longer the views he holds as a Conservative candidate. While visiting La Malbaie in the afternoon to announce his candidacy, Duhaime was reluctant to comment on Diotte’s posts, despite reporters’ insistence. “I think the candidate has since explained himself, and, as I said, we’ve moved on,” said the Conservative leader. This is far from the first controversy involving Duhaime’s political party. La Presse had revealed early in the campaign that two other candidates had also shared troubling posts about the annexation of Canada by the United States. For Duhaime, this is not a reflection on the quality of his candidates, but rather proof that his rivals view him as a serious opponent. “It’s clear that our opponents are digging deep into our backgrounds. Our opponents are doing everything they can to derail our campaign,” Duhaime maintained. Earlier on Saturday, the PCQ pledged to lower gas prices for Quebec households. To achieve this, a Conservative government would abolish what it calls the “carbon tax” by withdrawing the province from the carbon market, and would suspend the provincial fuel tax. “If the Conservatives were elected, the price shown behind me would no longer be 1.83 per liter. It would be about a dollar and a half,” said Duhaime, who made his announcement in front of a gas station in the city of Lévis. Since 2014, Quebec has been part of the Cap-and-Trade System with California, which allows companies to buy and resell carbon credits—that is, the right to emit a given amount of CO₂. These companies can then pass the cost on to consumers, which fuel producers and retailers generally do, according to the Institut du Québec (IDQ). As a result, the carbon market adds about 10.7 cents per liter of gas, according to an IDQ report published in 2025. The Conservative Party describes this amount as an “indirect and hidden tax on energy distributors and major emitters.” By withdrawing Quebec’s participation in this market, Duhaime believes that a “typical Quebec household” could save approximately $1,350 over five years. The PCQ also pledges to suspend the provincial fuel tax of 19.2 cents per liter for five months. These measures, Duhaime asserts, should enable families to save an average of $1,573 over five years. Since the start of the campaign, the PCQ leader has been making a series of announcements aimed at putting more money in the pockets of Quebec households. According to Duhaime, his economic platform will allow a “typical Quebec household” to have an average of $2,233 more per year—or $11,166 after five years. He is banking on the fact that Quebecers will be far more concerned about the cost of living than about the consequences of the trade war with the United States when they go to the polls on October 5. Duhaime is addressing a concern that echoes that of federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre regarding carbon pricing — two distinct pricing systems. “Instantly, within 24 hours, we saw the gap between Quebec and Ontario widen,” said Duhaime, who maintains that Quebecers have consistently paid more at the pump than Ontarians. In April 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney abolished the federal “carbon tax” for households, which had applied in all provinces except Quebec. This tax had driven up the price of gas by about 18 cents per liter elsewhere in the country. Many fear that oil companies will use this reduction to increase their profit margins without actually lowering the price of gas. “Carney has already done this, and the price of gas didn’t go down. “We know that this suspension will be offset by oil companies increasing their profits,” replied Québec solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal on X. For example, the price of gas fell by only 2.6 cents per liter the day after the federal carbon tax was abolished, according to data provided by CAA Québec. Duhaime, however, dismissed this concern. “Why didn’t the oil companies make a killing when taxes were cut in English Canada? Why would they make a killing in Quebec? That’s a mystery,” he argued. The Conservative leader was in Charlevoix on Saturday afternoon to announce the candidacy of Caroline Simard, a former Liberal assembly member. Simard is not a stranger to the region, having represented the riding. She had defeated former Premier Pauline Marois in the 2014 election. “Out on the ground, I’m meeting with my fellow citizens who want to be heard. They want a party that will build a third link to spare them the long detour, that will put money back in their pockets, and that will be attentive to the regional realities of every RCM in our beautiful and vast riding,” she stated in a press release. She will face CAQ Minister and current member for the riding, Kariane Bourassa; PQ candidate François Gariépy; Liberal Michel Bureau; and Solidaire candidate Dulce Vivar. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 29, 2026. ‘Stop treating Quebecers like idiots’: Liberals Liberal leader Charles Milliard used his visit to Shawinigan to attack the economic credibility of his CAQ rival, Christine Fréchette. On this third day of the election campaign, the Liberal leader wants Quebecers to remember the “true nature of the Coalition Avenir Québec.” On Friday, Ms. Fréchette stated that she wanted to take a more measured approach to economic interventionism. It’s worth recalling that the CAQ’s tenure was marked by economic fiascos such as the Northvolt debacle. “That’s the last straw! Christine Fréchette was even more interventionist than Pierre Fitzgibbon as Minister of the Economy. And she’s been even more so—if that’s even possible—since last April. “Did you see that parade of announcements—billions of dollars pouring in, exceeding the fund that Girard had set aside?” scoffed Charles Milliard at a press briefing on Saturday. “Honestly, we have to stop treating Quebecers like idiots,” he said. The Liberal leader added that the CAQ’s “inaction” in the forestry sector will contribute to the loss of 30,000 jobs due to the tariff war with the United States. Arguing that the CAQ has contributed to increasing the administrative burden on businesses, Charles Milliard promises, if elected, to impose a moratorium on any new regulations that increase the burden on businesses. This moratorium will last one year. The Liberals will then implement the “two-for-one” rule regarding regulations. This means that for every new regulatory or administrative requirement introduced, two must be repealed. The Liberal leader assures that his proposal does not mean lowering environmental standards and requirements for businesses The Liberal leader also wants to set up a “rapid response team to assist businesses facing government red tape,” to be called “Efficacité Québec.” “A small team capable of liaising directly with several ministries so that the business has a single point of contact,” said Millard. The Liberal leader denied wanting to “create a new structure” with additional civil servants. This team will therefore be made up of existing government employees. The Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) maintains that the “CAQ government has added $2.4 billion in regulatory costs to SMEs since 2018, while its successive omnibus bills have reduced them by only about $200 million.” “Our entrepreneurs waste a month a year on paperwork. We’re going to give them that time back so they can do what they do best: build,” says the Liberal leader The PLQ estimates that the administrative burden on Quebec businesses costs them nearly $11 billion a year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 29, 2026. Fréchette appeals to hesitant separatists CAQ leader Christine Fréchette is calling on separatists who are reluctant to hold a referendum in the coming years to vote for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) rather than the Parti Québécois (PQ). PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon sees this as a fear campaign that “is starting to get ridiculous.” Still seeking to win over nationalists, Ms. Fréchette also pledged to strengthen Bill 101. “Clear-headed and realistic” sovereignist voters are welcome in the CAQ, the outgoing premier assured reporters at a press conference in Drummondville on Saturday morning. “Many people who might be tempted to vote ‘Yes’ in a referendum (on independence) are well aware that this is the worst time in the last 50 years to hold a referendum and do not want to give the Parti Québécois the opportunity to organize a referendum that, as we can see, will not be won,” she said in the common room of a low-income housing complex for seniors. “I invite these people to join our coalition; we’re open to them,” she continued, adding one condition. “If these voters are comfortable with the idea that one must be a nationalist—and I think that should come naturally—they’re welcome to join the coalition.” The PQ has pledged to hold a referendum on sovereignty during its first term, but only after Donald Trump’s presidency ends—meaning sometime after 2028. According to Ms. Fréchette, it shows a lack of judgment to make such a commitment while we’re in the midst of a trade war with the United States. “Christine Fréchette’s speech could, in every respect, have been that of (Liberal premiers) Jean Charest or Philippe Couillard a few years ago,” said St-Pierre Plamondon during a press conference in Chauveau. “This is a fear campaign that’s starting to get ridiculous. (...) It’s starting to be a bit laughable—it’s not serious.” The PQ leader says he trusts Quebecers’ intelligence. For his part, Liberal leader Charles Milliard accuses his CAQ opponent of inconsistency, of flirting simultaneously with Mark Carney’s federal government and with the sovereignists. “Honestly, the weather changes—in fact, Christine Fréchette is about as reliable as the weather,” he said at a press conference in Shawinigan. In addition, the CAQ has committed to extending the Charter of the French Language to vocational training and general adult education. “Le Devoir” had revealed that, due to a loophole in the law, no fewer than 27,000 people were taking classes in English at vocational training and general adult education centers, even though they should have been educated in French. Furthermore, the CAQ is committed to renewing the exemption provision regarding the Act Respecting French as the Official Language—which it adopted—a provision that shields the law from legal challenges. Meanwhile, Fréchette continued her campaign on Saturday to court senior voters. She has pledged to invest an additional $1 billion over four years in home care. This funding will also help provide people with disabilities with more home care support. The additional funding will amount to $100 million in the first year of the term, $200 million in the second, and so on, up to an additional $400 million in the final year of the term. Fréchette acknowledged that the need for in-home care is immense, but did not rule out additional investments beyond the $1 billion. In-home care includes, among other things, nursing care, personal and domestic assistance, rehabilitation and psychosocial services, as well as respite care and support for family caregivers. On Friday, she proposed building 2,000 additional affordable housing units for independent seniors, for $225 million. Fréchette’s party also wants to establish a tax credit modeled after the federal program, providing $7,500 per household, for families who adapt their homes to accommodate an elderly relative. The cost of this measure is estimated at $4 million per year, benefiting approximately 500 families. Fréchette’s announcements regarding seniors at the very start of the campaign are significant. In the most recent Synopsis poll commissioned by La Presse this week, 42 per cent of voters aged 55 and older would vote for the CAQ rather than the PQ (29 per cent), whereas until recently, the PQ had led among this age group. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 29, 2026.
