Quebec parties target health care, affordability as election nears

Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Frechette arrives for a daycare announcement alongside candidate Mario Laframboise, right, during an election campaign stop in Lorraine, Que., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. Quebec votes in a provincial election on Oct. 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL — With one month to go before Quebec’s provincial election, parties are pitching voters on health care, government spending and daycare, while their leaders are also debating the prospect of another referendum on Quebec independence.

CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette promised Saturday to expand access to reduced-fee daycare, while accusing Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon of hiding his commitment to hold a referendum on Quebec independence.

St-Pierre Plamondon announced a series of government accountability measures, including freezing the salaries of MNAs, cabinet ministers and heads of Crown corporations until Quebec balances its budget.

Liberal Leader Charles Milliard accused Fréchette on Saturday of misleading voters about the number of new reduced-fee daycare spaces her party is promising.

Québec solidaire proposes 400 new primary-care access points as part of an expansion of Quebec’s network of local community health centres, known as CLSCs, which it says would help ease pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime, meanwhile, began the weekend with promises to make nearly all government services available online as part of a digital plan his party says would save $3.45 billion over five years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2026.