What the new government wants to do first. The Parti Québécois will form Quebec's next government. Two days before the vote, on October 3, its leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon presented seven priorities for the first 100 days of a PQ government (in French). Here's what they contain, what could affect your budget, and why you still have to wait.
The seven priorities, as presented by the party:
- Urgently release a special budget for homelessness, especially for winter.
- Remove the tax on used goods.
- Lower the gas tax, which would mean a saving of 7 cents a litre.
- Reinvest in food aid and food security organizations.
- Create a Secretariat for government efficiency and regulatory streamlining, and audit every IT project.
- Lower immigration levels through a new immigration plan.
- Launch an "États généraux" (a broad public consultation) on education in winter 2027.
The party also says its first bill will freeze the salaries of members of the National Assembly, ministers and the heads of the main Crown corporations until the budget is balanced.
What would affect your wallet. Three commitments target the cost of living directly. On used goods, the party's election platform (in French) specifies that this means abolishing the Quebec sales tax (QST) on those purchases. The GST is federal and doesn't depend on the Quebec government. On gas, the same platform talks about cutting the QST on gasoline in half for at least one year. Finally, for food aid, the party promises an extra $100 million a year for four years, aimed in particular at food banks, meals in disadvantaged schools and low-income seniors.
On immigration, the stated priority remains general: a new plan with lower levels, adapted to the regions. We break down the PQ's commitments on permanent residence, temporary permits and the PEQ in our article on the election results.
Why nothing has changed yet. The PQ holds a minority: it does not have a majority of seats in the National Assembly. Each party's seat count is published in Élections Québec's official results. Its leader rules out a coalition and says he'll work with the opposition parties issue by issue, Radio-Canada reports (in French). He first has to form his cabinet, which he promises will be smaller than the outgoing government's, before the National Assembly resumes sitting, scheduled for November 17. The premier-designate says he'll reveal its members in the coming weeks, without giving a number of ministers; Christine Fréchette's cabinet had 29 members, according to Le Droit (in French). The names are not known yet. The date the Assembly resumes will be confirmed in the calendar on the National Assembly's website.
Good to know for newcomers. A promise is not a rule. Until a measure has been officially adopted and announced, current taxes, immigration levels and programs keep applying. If you see a post claiming the QST on gas or on used goods has already been abolished, check first: the government's official announcements appear in the Québec.ca newsroom. By contrast, one cut is already real at the pump: the federal tax, suspended until January 31, 2027.
