Quebec Election 2026: Polls Open as Parti Québécois Seeks Majority
Quebeckers head to the polls today, Monday, October 5, 2026, to elect members to the National Assembly in a provincial election that has seen a crowded field and a late surge by the Parti Québécois (PQ). Polling stations are open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Election officials report steady advance voting, with more than 27,000 ballots cast in four days of special advance voting in Ottawa alone—a bellwether for overall turnout.
With 127 seats up for grabs, a party needs 64 for a majority. Polls suggest no party may cross 30 per cent of the popular vote, but the PQ, led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, now appears likely to form government—possibly even a majority—despite a promise to hold a sovereignty referendum most Quebeckers oppose. The incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), led by Premier Fréchette, faces what CTV News described on October 2 as a party “facing annihilation,” with Fréchette planning to remain leader regardless of the outcome.
Final Hours: Leaders Make Their Pitch
On the eve of the vote, PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was planning his first 100 days in office, signaling confidence. The party, which won just three seats in 2022, has led in polls for three years. Its support has been tempered by its promise of a third referendum on independence—though St-Pierre Plamondon has said it would not happen until U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office, and he has tamped down separatist rhetoric amid trade war anxieties.
CAQ leader Fréchette has spent the final stretch shoring up support in traditional strongholds. The CAQ has released a platform heavy on family policy and cost-of-living relief. The Quebec Liberal Party and Parti Québécois have yet to release full platforms, while Québec Solidaire and the Conservative Party of Quebec have rolled out targeted promises.
What’s at Stake: A Referendum and a Trade War
This election matters beyond Quebec’s borders. A PQ victory would put sovereignty back on the agenda for the first time since the 1995 referendum. St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a third referendum in a first mandate, but only after Trump is out of office. That caveat has kept the sovereignty question largely dormant on the campaign trail, where voters are more focused on the economy and trade.
The broader context is a province navigating U.S. tariffs and a fragmented political landscape. No party has polled above 30 per cent, making a majority challenging. The PQ’s rise is less about a groundswell of separatist sentiment and more about a divided opposition. The CAQ, in power since 2018, has seen its support erode amid dissatisfaction over health care, education, and the cost of living.
The Referendum Question
The PQ’s promise of a third referendum hangs over the result. Most Quebeckers oppose holding one, according to polling, but the party has framed it as a long-term project. In the meantime, St-Pierre Plamondon has focused on kitchen-table issues: child care, school supplies, and support for families. That strategy has broadened his appeal beyond the sovereigntist base.
Party Platforms at a Glance
With less than 24 hours of voting left, here’s where the five main parties stand on key issues, based on CBC’s platform tracker and other sources.
Child Care
Coalition Avenir Québec: Would convert 5,000 private child-care spots into subsidized ones and create 5,000 new subsidized spots, in addition to 15,000 previously promised. It would introduce a tax credit reimbursing up to 75 per cent of school-day child-care fees based on income—benefiting over half a million children with up to $1,309. It would turn the school supplies supplement into a back-to-school supplement of up to $250 per child. It would offer two additional weeks of parental leave for fathers and up to four weeks of transferable paid leave to a grandparent or relative, plus four weeks of leave for grieving fathers after a perinatal death. It would give women in government jobs up to two years (instead of six months) to buy back years of service, allow Quebec Parental Insurance Plan payments to be extended up to five years after a birth, and increase the Supplement for Handicapped Children by $50 (to $291/month) and both tiers of the Supplement for Handicapped Children Requiring Exceptional Care by $100/month—changes costing $30 million annually.
Québec Solidaire: Would implement a universal school food program and replace the school supplies allowance with a government-run bulk purchasing system, redistributing supplies to all parents regardless of income.
Conservative Party of Quebec: Would maintain funding for the public child-care network, enhance the child-care expense tax credit for annual savings of $950 for the middle class, and offer a home child-care allowance of $100 per week.
Quebec Liberal Party and Parti Québécois: Have yet to announce plans.
Cost of Living
CAQ: Would invest $1,000 in the Registered Education Savings Plan of every child born in Quebec starting fall 2027. It would raise the tax credit for seniors’ assistance by $200 (to $2,200) for low-income individuals aged 70+ with annual income below $29,000. It would shield up to $35,000 of employment income from income tax and the calculation of main Quebec benefits for seniors 65+ who continue working in essential services facing labour shortages (e.g., teachers, early childhood educators, nurses, orderlies).
Other parties have yet to release full cost-of-living platforms.
How and Where to Vote
Polling stations are open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. To find your polling station, enter your address on Elections Quebec’s website. Voters must bring proof of identity and residence. Advance voting has already seen strong turnout, with more than 27,000 ballots cast in Ottawa’s special advance voting alone.
What Happens Next
If the PQ wins a majority, it is expected to move quickly on its first 100 days agenda, which includes child-care and family measures. A minority government would require cooperation with other parties, likely the Liberals or Québec Solidaire. The CAQ’s future is uncertain; Fréchette has said she plans to remain leader even as the party faces potential collapse.
The Bigger Picture: A Province at a Crossroads
This election is not just about seats. It is about Quebec’s direction on sovereignty, its response to a volatile trade environment, and its social policy priorities. The PQ’s resurgence from near-extinction in 2022 to likely government is a remarkable turnaround. But the party’s referendum promise remains a wild card. St-Pierre Plamondon has tried to keep the focus on pocketbook issues, and that may be enough to secure a majority.
For the rest of Canada, a PQ government would mean a new dynamic in federal-provincial relations. For Quebecers, it means a choice between continuity and change. With polls open until 8 p.m. ET, the final decision rests with voters.
As the campaign enters its final hours, leaders are making their last appeals. The result will shape Quebec’s politics for years to come. For live updates throughout the day, follow CTV News Montreal’s live blog.
Note: This article is based on sources published before polls closed. Results will be updated as they become available.
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