Quebec’s election campaign enters day four with a focus on affordability, except for the Parti Québécois (PQ) which emphasizes protecting the French language. The PQ proposes expanding the Charter of the French Language, also known as Bill 101, to include CEGEPs and the children of temporary immigrants residing in Quebec for over a year.
Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Leader Christine Fréchette reaffirms the party’s commitment to achieving a balanced budget by 2030, despite facing a $6 billion deficit. The CAQ’s election pledges are estimated to cost nearly $10 billion over the next five years, with notable promises including $1 billion for home care services, housing initiatives for seniors, and $304 million in regional support. Fréchette also emphasizes the party’s focus on maintaining public infrastructure and addressing new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Québec Solidaire (QS) unveils a housing plan comprising seven measures to address the housing crisis, such as establishing a national rental unit registry, limiting evictions, and developing a strategy to combat homelessness. QS plans to release further details on financing the plan in an upcoming fiscal framework.
Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard promises enhanced protections for seniors by capping rent increases at private seniors’ residences and shifting the burden of contesting rent hikes from residents to the residences. Milliard emphasizes that essential services will not be compromised under the new policy.
The Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) proposes eliminating the Quebec sales tax on used goods like thrifted clothing, aiming to return an average of $867 to Quebecers. The party plans to cut $47 billion in government spending over five years without impacting public services, with projected savings of around $11,000 per household.
Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon defends the party’s stance on extending Bill 101 to CEGEPs and the children of certain temporary immigrants, highlighting the importance of protecting the French language in Quebec. The PQ leader also emphasizes increasing French language requirements for work permits and investigating language usage in schools as part of efforts to bolster the use of French in the province.