Parliamentary Review: A Session in Two Acts
General
Status of Party Leaders and Parties
It would be hard to claim that the last Quebec parliamentary session lacked action: the announcement of Premier François Legault’s resignation, the arrival of Charles Milliard as the new leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, a Parti Québécois victory in the Chicoutimi by-election, the entry of the Parti conservateur du Québec into the National Assembly with MNA Maïté Blanchette-Vézina, and the nomination of Christine Fréchette by CAQ members as the new Premier of Quebec are just a few examples. Amid this series of upheavals, an unstable global context and the inflationary effects of rising oil prices added further pressure. The end of this 43rd legislature will be remembered as a pivotal moment on many fronts.
A new Premier
Despite a promise to remain in office until the end of his mandate, former CAQ leader and founder François Legault surprised everyone by announcing on January 14 that he was stepping aside. Two well-known government figures then entered the leadership race: MNA for Lévis Bernard Drainville and MNA for Sanguinet Christine Fréchette.
This period of over two months was marked by a pause in parliamentary work. The candidates had to defend their predecessor’s positions while trying to establish themselves with a fresh vision and new ideas. The opposition parties seized the opportunity to attack the outgoing government’s record and position themselves as the agents of change. The spring nonetheless concluded with stable polling trends, with sporadic variations tied to headline issues that remained marginal overall.
Health
Major Health Care Reforms
The Digital Health Record (DSN) revealed tensions tied to digital transformation within the public service. Unions turned the DSN rollout into a tool for labour pressure, sparking a public debate for Premier Christine Fréchette and Health Minister Sonia Bélanger. Meanwhile, MNA Gilles Bélanger, a former Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology, left caucus to signal his disagreement with the project’s implementation, citing data security risks.
The rollout nonetheless proceeded without incident, serving as an early test for Sante Quebec, which found itself caught between political directives and its own obligations.
On the question of access to care, the signing of an agreement with the FMOQ, aimed at guaranteeing access to a family doctor for 500,000 Quebecers by summer 2026, drew strong reactions from political parties, particularly regarding the role and use of the Guichet d’acces a la premiere ligne (GAP) as an access solution. Minister Bélanger nonetheless announced that this objective had been reached a month ahead of schedule, at the end of May 2026. Minister Bélanger also reached a tentative agreement with the FMSQ in April, bringing months of turbulent negotiations between the government and physicians to a close.
The infrastructure file also dominated the political news cycle. The Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, a symbol of Quebec’s aging building stock, was the incoming Premier’s very first announcement. Against that backdrop, Fréchette signed five infrastructure agreements with the Carney government totalling nearly $10 billion, including one billion specifically dedicated to priority health projects covering the Hotel-Dieu de Levis, the Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, the Hopital de Jonquiere, the Hopital de Chicoutimi, the future CHU de l’Outaouais, and the Hopital Charles-Le Moyne in Longueuil.
Finally, Bill 23 amending the Act respecting the protection of persons whose mental state presents a danger to themselves or to others (P-38) was adopted on the last day of the session. Its clause-by-clause review highlighted diverging positions between calls for caution and the desire to move quickly in updating the existing framework.
Municipal
Municipalities at the Heart of Key Challenges
Municipalities and cities, by virtue of their proximity to citizens, are front-line players on the ground. Homelessness, public transit, infrastructure, and even foreign workers are just a few of the issues that have fuelled their demands.
Homelessness has never been more visible in Quebec. In April, the national enumeration confirmed what everyone could already see: 12,000 people experiencing visible homelessness, a 20% increase since 2022. The phenomenon is now spreading to the regions, placing municipalities that were unprepared squarely on the front lines. The announcement of $28M by Premier Fréchette in May for a pilot project of 1,000 housing units was not enough to end the debate, particularly as cities have long been calling for a provincial safety net commensurate with the scale of the crisis. The public statement by former Premier Pauline Marois calling for a national summit on homelessness confirms that the issue will be central to the next election campaign.
The municipal infrastructure funding file also gained momentum. In January, the Ordre des ingenieurs sounded the alarm. In March, the budget allocated an additional $377M over ten years to the PQI (Quebec Infrastructure Plan), an increase that the UMQ immediately described as a modest signal given a $50B deficit. In early May, the Commissaire au developpement durable concluded that MAMH was not exercising the expected leadership to support municipalities in financing their water infrastructure. A week later, the Marceau-Jerome-Forget report, commissioned by the UMQ, was unequivocal: the municipal fiscal model has reached its limits and a dedicated fund of $15.75B is needed. Faced with this pressure, the government launched a General Forum on the Cost and Financing of Municipal Infrastructure in mid-June. The expectations of the municipal community are clearly articulated and will continue to make themselves felt throughout the summer.
Transportation
Divisive Transportation Debates
The national capital region has been and will continue to be the setting for major transportation debates.
First, the tramway project, which had been awaiting its funding, received $55M for the construction of the tunnel linking Colline Parlementaire to Saint-Roch. At the same time, the provincial government reached a $2.75B agreement with Ottawa through the Canada Public Transit Fund, covering the full federal share of 40%. Quebec was the last province to sign the public transit funding agreement, which allowed Premier Fréchette to strengthen her image as an effective collaborator with the federal government by concluding a negotiation that had been dragging on.
On the other hand, the third link continues to divide both the public and politicians. As promised during the leadership race, the Premier now favours a link to the east and has issued a request for interest through a public-private partnership. The file will again be part of the discussions heading into the next election.
Security
Security as an Underlying Theme
As Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Security, Ian Lafrenière had the objective of earning the trust of Quebecers. This session offered rare moments where parliamentary debate gave way to a collective will to solve concrete problems, beyond party lines.
Bill 4, the Gabie Renaud Act, adopted and assented to on June 11, is the strongest example. Inspired by Clare’s Law in the United Kingdom, it now allows any person fearing for their safety to obtain information on a partner’s history of domestic violence. Initially introduced by Ruba Ghazal, co-leader of Quebec solidaire, in memory of Gabie Renaud, killed in September 2025 by a repeat-offending partner who had been released, the legislation brought all parties together around a shared cause. In less than a month, the bill cleared every stage at an exceptional pace.
In a similar spirit, Bill 9 banning the sale of energy drinks to those under 16 was adopted by a vote of 103 to 1. Tabled on June 5, the bill followed the death of young Zachary Miron, age 15, from cardiac arrhythmia linked to the interaction between an energy drink and his ADHD medication. Quebec thus becomes the first Canadian province to legislate on energy drinks.
Nationalism
Identity and Electoral Map
Presenting an economic and identity-driven vision, the Premier was ultimately forced to set aside Bill 1, which aimed to give Quebec a constitution. Having failed to achieve consensus among opposition parties or the groups consulted, the file will return as part of the CAQ’s electoral platform, but will require broader support before it can be revisited.
The question of French continues to shape discussions, most notably forcing the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party to take a position on the renewal of the notwithstanding clause for Bill 96 by the Fréchette government. Charles Milliard attempted to preserve his predominantly anglophone base while courting francophone voters, a balancing act that has so far produced mixed results.
Left in uncertainty until the very last moment, Bill 3 ultimately sided with the regions by raising the number of electoral ridings in Quebec to 127. Elected members thus chose an alternative to the proposal put forward by the Commission de la representation electorale, preferring to add ridings rather than undertake a redistricting that would have eliminated one constituency in the Gaspesie region and one in eastern Montreal.
Immigration
Immigration: An Economic Battleground
The abolition of the Programme de l’experience quebecoise (PEQ) in November 2025 had triggered strong mobilization from economic organizations, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, and businesses, which saw their recruitment capacity cut off without notice or transition period. Despite a persistent standoff between the desire to reduce immigration thresholds and the pressing need for labour, the Fréchette government reopened the PEQ for two years. The Programme de selection des travailleurs qualifies (PSTQ), presented as the modernized and regionalized successor to the PEQ, nonetheless remains insufficient for certain manufacturing occupations facing severe labour shortages.
The immigration issue remains complex, involving both federal and provincial jurisdictions, which leads elected officials at both levels of government to pass the buck. It is also a sensitive issue that will certainly be central to the debate as the life paths of thousands of Quebec residents are called into question.
Cost of Living
The Ever-Present Cost of Living
The cost of living has emerged as a central issue, amplified by an unstable geopolitical context. The war in Iran drove up oil prices, increasing the cost of many consumer goods.
Since taking office, Premier Fréchette has made a series of announcements to ease the financial burden on Quebecers. A refund of the welcome tax for first-time buyers, the adoption of Bill 22 abolishing the double tax for condominium owners, a $50 reduction on vehicle registration fees, an enhanced solidarity tax credit, and the elimination of the QST on select grocery and pharmacy products make up the core of the announced measures.
While these announcements have drawn some criticism for their limited impact, the issue is present in the discourse of every opposition party. The means proposed may differ, but the underlying intent remains the same.
Conclusion
The October Appointment
On the eve of an election campaign, each party leaves this session with its narrative firmly in hand. In their respective reviews, they have each emphasized certain priorities. The CAQ defends a record of delivering on commitments in a difficult context. The PLQ promises to repair what eight years of CAQ governance has damaged. The Parti Québécois is betting on consistency and authenticity by staying the course toward its independence project. Quebec solidaire points to numerous gains achieved, despite a deeper rift internally and with its electorate.
The clock has now started and candidates will spend the summer in full campaign mode, working to earn voters’ support on October 5.
Status of Bills from the 43rd Legislature
- Adopted
- Bill 3 – An Act to improve transparency, governance and the democratic process of various associations in the workplace
- Bill 4 – An Act respecting the communication of information for the purpose of protection against intimate partner violence and amending various legislative provisions
- Bill 7 – An Act to reduce red tape, improve government efficiency and strengthen the accountability of senior public servants
- Bill 9 – An Act to strengthen secularism in Quebec
- Bill 9 – An Act to prevent the harmful effects of energy drinks on the health of young people
- Bill 10 – An Act to protect consumers against abusive ticket resale and online subscription renewal practices
- Bill 11 – An Act to amend various provisions mainly for the purpose of reducing the regulatory and administrative burden
- Bill 12 – An Act establishing the provision of early childhood care and educational services by persons recognized as home childcare providers in the community
- Bill 13 – An Act to promote public safety and the sense of security and amending various provisions
- Bill 15 – An Act to amend the Professional Code and other provisions mainly to ease the regulatory processes of the professional system and broaden certain professional practices in the health and social services sector
- Bill 19 – An Act aimed in particular at improving access to medical services and ensuring medical care for the population
- Bill 22 – An Act to enhance the intervention powers of municipalities and amend other legislative provisions
- Bill 23 – An Act aimed primarily at better supporting persons whose mental state could pose a risk to their own safety or that of others
- Bill 24 – An Act to protect consumers against the deceptive or fraudulent use of a person’s identity or image
- Not adopted
- Bill 1 – Quebec Constitutional Act, 2025
- Bill 2 – An Act enabling the Parliament of Quebec to preserve the principle of parliamentary sovereignty with respect to the Charter of the French Language and the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French
- Bill 5 – An Act to accelerate the granting of authorizations required for priority and nationally significant projects
- Bill 8 – An Act governing the language of instruction in vocational training and adult general education
- Bill 20 – An Act enacting the Act to promote access to housing and amending various provisions relating to the housing sector
- Bill 27 – An Act to amend various provisions relating to collective agreement decrees and the construction industry
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