QUEBEC CITY — Parti Québécois leader Paul St‑Pierre Plamondon said his party would more than halve the number of temporary immigrants in Quebec if elected, a proposal that drew swift criticism from rival parties on the third day of the provincial election campaign.
Outside a Quebec City high school where modular classrooms are being used to handle rising enrolment, St‑Pierre Plamondon argued the current level of temporary migration has outpaced the province’s ability to provide housing and public services. He said a PQ government would reduce temporary migrant numbers from more than 500,000 to a target between 200,000 and 250,000.
What the PQ is proposing
The PQ leader also reiterated a pledge to cut annual permanent immigration to 35,000, down from the government’s current target of 45,000. During the transition toward the new temporary immigration target, the party said it would prioritise economic-class applicants already in Quebec rather than selecting new arrivals from abroad.
| Measure | Current/Previous | PQ proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary immigration (approx.) | More than 500,000 | 200,000–250,000 |
| Permanent immigration target (annual) | 45,000 | 35,000 |
St‑Pierre Plamondon said the PQ would exempt sectors heavily dependent on temporary workers, naming agriculture, manufacturing and health care, and promised regional adjustments to reflect local labour market needs.
Rivals press back
Opposition leaders seized on the announcement, saying the party was portraying immigrants as responsible for strains on schools and public services and risked aggravating existing labour shortages.
- Rivals argue the PQ’s cuts could deepen worker shortfalls in key sectors that currently rely on temporary residents.
- Some parties accused the PQ of scapegoating newcomers for broader policy failures relating to housing and public services.
- The CAQ, the governing party, was targeted by the PQ for having overseen the growth in temporary migration when its members previously managed the immigration portfolio.
“Never will the Parti Québécois blame people who become Quebecers,”
The leader insisted his party would not fault individuals who choose to settle in Quebec, instead pointing fingers at the provincial government and Ottawa for what he described as a loss of control over immigration flows.
Context and local consequences
The remarks came amid a broader campaign day in which leaders laid out positions on transit, home care, gasoline prices and the economy. The PQ’s immigration plan ties directly into public debates over classroom crowding — illustrated by the modular classrooms at the Quebec City school where the leader spoke — and pressures on housing and social services.
Advocates for labour-intensive industries have long warned that restrictions on temporary workers could leave employers struggling to fill positions. The PQ's stated intention to protect certain sectors suggests it recognises that risk, but it remains unclear how exemptions would be managed or how quickly the reductions would occur.
Unanswered operational questions
Key details were not provided at the announcement. The campaign stop did not outline timelines for achieving the temporary immigration target, nor the mechanisms for selecting economic-class applicants already in Quebec. The operational approach will be closely watched by municipalities, employers and community organisations that rely on newcomers.
As the campaign proceeds, parties will likely press for specifics on how proposed immigration limits would be implemented and what supports would be offered for sectors at risk of labour shortfalls.
For now, the PQ’s proposal has shifted the electoral conversation back to immigration policy — a volatile issue that links housing, education and the provincial economy — and will test voters’ appetite for tighter controls amid competing calls for more workers and better services.
Reporting from campaign stops across the province is ongoing as leaders continue to present competing visions for Quebec’s future.
