2026 Quebec election campaign: Getting your issues heard by the government

Quebecers will be called to the polls on 5 October 2026 to elect the next government.

The date on which the election campaign is officially launched remains at the discretion of Premier Christine Fréchette. Under election law, the campaign lasts between 33 and 39 days, which means it could begin as early as 27 August.

For organizations that have dealings with the Quebec government, this period brings with it a predictable slowdown in many government activities. Policy decisions become more limited, public announcements are suspended and access to ministers’ offices is restricted. Urgent matters can, however, continue to move forward with the right strategy.

##What changes during the election campaign

• The work of the National Assembly ceases. Bills, parliamentary committees, and other parliamentary business are suspended until the next government is formed and elected MNAs resume parliamentary business..
• The premier and ministers remain in office to ensure the continuity of government, but they exercise their powers with restraint and avoid any decisions that might commit the next government, except in cases of emergency or in the public interest.
• Ministers’ offices operate with a reduced staff to ensure day-to-day business is dealt with and to maintain links with the civil service.
• The civil service continues its normal activities. Analyses, administrative processing, programs, and certain procedures—notably the assessment of funding applications—continue to progress, even though ministerial announcements are suspended. This year, the government ceased making public announcements as early as 17 July.

What this means for your organization

The election campaign does not put all issues on hold, but it does require a review of how we engage with them.

Depending on the nature of the issue, it may be more effective to:

• contact the relevant civil servants directly when the issue involves an administrative process;
• quickly identify which members of ministers’ offices will remain in their roles during the campaign;
• adjust expectations regarding processing times and decisions of a political nature; and
• prepare now for the actions that will need to resume immediately after the election.

Organizations that plan ahead for this period are generally better able to keep their issues active and to quickly resume their efforts with the next government.

How NATIONAL can support you

Throughout the election campaign, NATIONAL remains fully committed to supporting its clients. Our team can:

• Assess the urgency of a case and recommend the most appropriate course of action;
• Identify the best points of contact within ministerial offices or the civil service;
• Monitor government matters during the election period;
• Adapt advocacy approaches to the rules applicable during the campaign;
• Prepare to resume government relations and advocacy activities as soon as the next cabinet is appointed.

Our recommendation

The weeks leading up to the start of the election campaign represent a strategic window of opportunity to make progress on priority issues and to plan the initiatives that will need to continue throughout the election period. Preparing in advance helps to minimize delays, safeguard the progress made so far, and resume discussions with the next government swiftly.