Quebec’s party leaders are back out on the campaign trail, with less than two weeks to go before the provincial election. The leaders of the Parti Québécois (PQ), Liberals (PLQ), Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), Conservatives (PCQ) and Québec solidaire are also gearing up for the third and final televised debate scheduled for Wednesday in Montreal. The party leaders have faced questions in recent days about potential alliances if no party succeeds in forming a majority. Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Monday that an alliance was out of the question, after his rivals suggested his ideas were similar to those of Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime. Poll aggregator Qc125 suggests the Parti Québécois remains the front-runner but that a minority outcome remains the most likely scenario. Quebec voters go to the polls on Oct. 5. Key details: Follow along for the latest updates: Cost of living and inflation remain a key election issue in Quebec It is consistently one of the top issues in this election campaign, the rising cost of living and it seems everyone is feeling it. Each of the five parties has made at least one promise that could help with the cost of living. The CAQ wants to contribute $1,000 to every newborn’s registered education savings plan. Quebec Solidaire wants to raise the minimum wage to $20 dollars an hour. The Liberals want to extend the shareable parental leave by two weeks or parents can receive an equal payment to help with the costs of raising their child. The PQ and it’s promise to reduce the Quebec Sales Tax (QST) on gas by 50 per cent for at least a year. The Conservatives are promising an income tax cut by increasing the basic personal amount to $35,000. -- Matt Grillo, CTV News Montreal video journalist Duhaime wants to create a Quebec constitution, ‘shield law’ against ‘federal intrusions’ The leader of the Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ), Éric Duhaime, and the candidate for La Peltrie, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, were in Montreal on Tuesday morning to present the party’s “autonomist platform.” The PCQ wants to create a Quebec constitution, enact a “shield law” against “federal intrusions,” forge interprovincial alliances, and repatriate powers from Ottawa. Duhaime’s party aims to establish an commission that would travel throughout all regions of Quebec to consult with citizens and experts in order to draft the Quebec Constitution. According to documents provided by the PCQ, this constitution would affirm “the sovereignty of the National Assembly and the primacy of Quebec law,” enshrine “French as the sole official language and common language,” and recognize “the secular nature of the state and the national character of Quebec and its symbols.” The PCQ would call for the repatriation of powers in the areas of language, as well as health, education, culture, immigration, the environment, taxation, natural resources, and municipal affairs. The Canadian Press New poll has St-Pierre Plamondon quickly taking lead Two weeks before election day, voting intentions largely remain stable in Quebec, according to a new poll by Léger/Le Journal/TVA. The survey finds that the Parti Québécois (PQ) remains in first place, with leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon gaining ground, and the Conservative Party of Quebec showing increasing potential. Numbers show the PQ steady at 29 per cent among decided voters - 37 per cent among francophones compared with 24 per cent for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). On a personal level, St-Pierre Plamondon is at 26 per cent (+4) when it comes to the leader who would make the best premier, in addition to 27 per cent (+3) as the leader who best represents change and 25 per cent (+10) as the leader who ran the best campaign over the past seven days. READ MORE: “For now, those gains have not translated into higher support for the PQ, which remains stable,” Léger notes. Additionally, the Quebec Conservatives (PCQ) have become the party most often cited as voters’ second choice, at 17 per cent (+3). When it comes to the top issues of the campaign, cost of living (53 per cent) and improving public services (46 per cent) remain important, though there is still a strong desire for change. This creates a particular challenge for CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette, Léger points out, as 65 per cent (+4) of voters say they want a new party to form the government, while nine per cent identify her as the leader who best represents change. The online survey was conducted from Sept. 18 to 21, 2026, among 1,001 Quebec respondents aged 18 or older who are eligible to vote. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of ±3.10 per cent, 19 times out of 20. - Rachel Lau, CTV News journalist. QS wants to cut tuition by 50 per cent Québec solidaire says it wants to cut university tuition and CEGEP registration fees in half during its first term, with the goal of eventually making education free. “Young people need to regain hope for the future, to regain the conviction that it is possible to live well without being in a state of constant precariousness,” said Alexandre Boulerice, a former federal NDP MP running in the provincial riding of Gouin. “With free tuition, Québec solidaire is inviting the new generation to a true renewal of the social contract.” The party estimates that the measure would cost $350 million per year by 2030–2031. - The Canadian Press. Liberals want to widen Highway 30 The Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) is promising to widen Highway 30 between Brossard and Boucherville on Montreal’s South Shore, described as a “key” corridor for trucks. The party said the highway, which runs from Vaudreuil-Dorion to Sorel-Tracy, is important for truckers trying to reach Ontario and the United States without passing through Montreal. It added that the highway also provides access to the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) in Brossard. “In 2026, traffic volume on the segment connecting Brossard and Boucherville was estimated at between 50,000 and 85,000 vehicles per day, 15 per cent of which was trucks,” the party said. As such, the PLQ is promising to add a lane between Brossard and Boucherville in its first term. The Liberals pointed out that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) had promised to widen the highway in 2018, but it remains “in the planning stage.” “People on Montreal’s South Shore have been waiting far too long for the CAQ’s false promises,” Milliard said. “The existing road infrastructure is no longer sufficient to meet the region’s growth.” - The Canadian Press. Day 27 Here is where the party leaders are planning to start their day, in order of first appearance: Charles Milliard (Quebec Liberal Party) Liberal Leader Charles Milliard is slated to make an announcement about transportation at 10 a.m. in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. Éric Duhaime (Quebec Conservative Party) Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime is set to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. to unveil his vision of autonomy at Château Saint-Ambroise in Montreal before attending a campaign lunch at Jack Astor’s Bar & Grill in Laval. Ruba Ghazal (Québec Solidaire) QS Spokesperson Ruba Ghazal is expected to take a walk with candidate Anne Latendresse at 1 p.m. in Montreal. Co-spokesperson Sol Zanetti is set to meet with the First Nations Education Council in Wendake at 7:30 p.m. in Quebec City. Christine Fréchette (Coalition Avenir Québec) CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette has no public events scheduled for the election campaign. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (Parti Québécois) PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has no public events scheduled for the election campaign. The leaders
