News
Just over 161,000 people who became Canadian citizens since 2022 were eligible to vote for the first time in Quebec’s 5 October election. That is about 50% more than at the previous election — and, for each of them, the end of a long road.
A marked increase
According to Élections Québec data reported by Radio-Canada, these new voters numbered just over 161,000 this year. Between the 2018 and 2022 elections, there were about 106,000.
The figure directly reflects the many citizenships granted in recent years: every citizenship ceremony adds new names to the voters’ list.
Why the vote changes everything
The right to vote is one of the main differences between a permanent resident and a Canadian citizen. A permanent resident can live, work and study in Canada, but cannot vote in Quebec or federal elections.
To vote in a Quebec election, you must, among other things:
- be a Canadian citizen;
- be 18 on election day;
- have been domiciled in Quebec for at least six months.
For many newcomers, that first vote is as symbolic as it is practical: it is the moment you stop watching Quebec politics and start taking part in it.
What happens now?
Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is due to name his cabinet in the coming weeks. He has promised a smaller cabinet than previous governments — the last one had 29 members.
With 59 of 127 seats, his government is a minority. In Quebec’s recent history, minority governments have lasted about 18 months on average, which is pushing the new premier to move quickly.
For what the result could change on immigration, read our analysis: what the PQ win changes — and doesn’t.
Are you a permanent resident?
If you meet the residency requirement, citizenship is the next step — and with it, the right to vote. It is never too early to check where you stand in your count of days of physical presence in Canada.
Sources
- Radio-Canada, 29 September 2026, Élections Québec data — as reported in Immigrant Québec’s Immigration Bulletin, October 2026
- Le Nouvelliste, “À quoi s’attendre des débuts du gouvernement de Paul St-Pierre Plamondon?”, 6 October 2026
- Élections Québec — who can vote
