Date: October 5, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
Quebecers are heading to the polls Monday to choose the province’s next government after a 39-day election campaign dominated by debates over the economy, affordability, immigration, workers’ rights, health care, nationalism and the possibility of another referendum on Quebec sovereignty.
The election features five major parties competing for seats in the 125-member National Assembly, with the Parti Québécois (PQ) led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon entering voting day with a lead in the latest opinion polling.
A Leger poll for Journal and TVA Nouvelles put the PQ at 29 per cent of voter intentions, ahead of the Quebec Liberal Party at roughly one-quarter and the Conservative Party of Quebec at about 20 per cent. The governing Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) was polling at 14 per cent, while Québec solidaire remained further behind.
The PQ's strong position represents a significant shift in Quebec politics. The party has not formed the provincial government since 2014, but St-Pierre Plamondon has spent the campaign presenting his party as an alternative to eight years of CAQ government.
The PQ has also made sovereignty a central part of its long-term political platform. St-Pierre Plamondon has promised a referendum on Quebec independence in 2029, although he has said such a vote would not take place while U.S. President Donald Trump remains in office.
The question of independence, however, is not necessarily the principal motivation behind the PQ's current support. Recent polling cited by Reuters indicated that about 30 per cent of Quebecers currently favour separation from Canada, while the election campaign has also been shaped by dissatisfaction with the provincial government, the cost of living, health-care pressures and economic uncertainty linked to U.S. trade policy.
The province is also facing a significant fiscal challenge. Quebec's deficit for the most recent fiscal year reached $7.2 billion, making government finances one of the major issues in the campaign.
The PQ has proposed reducing overall government spending, lowering taxes for businesses and cutting subsidies to multinational corporations. The party has also promised to balance Quebec's budget by the 2028-29 fiscal year.
The CAQ, meanwhile, is seeking to retain power under Premier Christine Fréchette, who became party leader only about six months before the election. Fréchette has argued that Quebec needs stability rather than a sovereignty referendum and has presented her party as capable of defending Quebec's interests in negotiations with Ottawa and Washington.
The CAQ campaign has focused heavily on affordability, health care, families and seniors. Fréchette has promised increased support for home care and school-related expenses while arguing that the province's current financial difficulties are partly connected to decisions made by previous Liberal governments.
The Quebec Liberal Party, led by Charles Milliard, has also gained ground during the campaign. Milliard, who has never previously served as an elected official, has sought to position the Liberals as the principal federalist alternative to the PQ.
Milliard has emphasized Quebec's economy, support for businesses, education, internships and mental-health initiatives. He has also urged voters opposed to another sovereignty referendum to consider strategic voting in closely contested ridings.
The Conservative Party of Quebec, led by Éric Duhaime, has also increased its support. Duhaime has campaigned on reducing taxes, cutting government spending and addressing the cost of living. He has said that if the Conservatives hold the balance of power in a legislature led by a PQ minority government, his party would use that position to oppose a sovereignty referendum.
Québec solidaire leader Ruba Ghazal has offered a different approach to the sovereignty debate. Ghazal supports greater autonomy for Quebec but has described her vision as more inclusive, emphasizing that anglophones and immigrants should also have a place in any discussion about Quebec's future. Her campaign has focused heavily on housing, affordability and environmental issues.
The election campaign has also been affected by allegations of possible U.S. influence. The CAQ sought federal attention over claims concerning foreign interference, while the PQ has denied that it engaged in improper contacts with U.S. authorities. The federal intelligence agency CSIS was contacted during the campaign, although no evidence has established that the election was improperly influenced by the United States.
Trade with the United States has been another major concern. Quebec's aluminum, steel and manufacturing sectors have been affected by U.S. tariff policies, and candidates have sought to reassure voters that they can protect the province's economic interests. Reuters reported that the election debate has increasingly focused on U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies rather than solely on the traditional sovereignty question.
More than 1.6 million Quebecers, or over one-quarter of eligible voters, had already cast ballots during advance voting. On election day, more than 15,000 polling stations at approximately 3,000 locations across the province are scheduled to operate from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
There are 908 candidates competing in the election, representing 20 registered political parties or running as independents for seats in the National Assembly. Preliminary results are expected after polls close at 8 p.m.
The election could therefore produce a major change in Quebec's political landscape. While the PQ entered election day with a polling advantage, the fragmented field means the final distribution of seats remains uncertain. A PQ victory would return the separatist party to government after more than a decade and could place the question of Quebec's constitutional future back at the centre of Canadian politics.
For voters, however, Monday's election is also about immediate provincial concerns, including health care, housing, affordability, public finances, immigration, language policy and the province's economic relationship with the United States. The results will determine not only which party forms Quebec's next government, but also how the province approaches those issues over the next four years.