The race to succeed François Legault as Premier of Quebec is taking shape, with Christine Fréchette outlining a plan focused on stability in education funding and a more streamlined approach to building recent schools. Fréchette, a candidate for the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), is positioning herself as a pragmatic leader committed to protecting existing services for students, a key concern as the province navigates ongoing budgetary pressures. This commitment to education funding stability comes as Quebec prepares to choose its next premier on April 12, with the winner also set to lead the province into the October 2026 provincial election.
Fréchette’s central promise is to guarantee that education budgets will increase at a minimum pace equal to the rate of inflation. This pledge directly addresses concerns raised after last summer, when her leadership rival, former Education Minister Bernard Drainville, imposed budget restrictions of $510 million on school service centers (CSS), as reported by Fraser Valley Today. To prevent similar cuts in the future, Fréchette intends to introduce legislation mandating this inflation-based indexation.
“The objective is clear: to protect services for students… against all future cuts. This law will ensure better predictability for the CSS,” Fréchette stated in a press release. Beyond funding, Fréchette is proposing a strategy to accelerate school construction by leveraging partnerships with the private sector. These partnerships would involve private entities assuming responsibility for construction, ownership, and property management – including maintenance and major renovations – while CSS would remain responsible for pedagogical needs and define functional standards, acting as long-term tenants with potential for eventual building transfer.
Fréchette’s approach to school construction draws on a “collaborative mode” already utilized for major projects in Quebec, emphasizing a “transparent sharing of risks.” She also aims to reduce administrative burdens on school teams and restore “agility” to the education system, recognizing the need to refocus efforts on core educational missions.
Drainville’s Contrasting Proposals: Cuts to Social Aid and Support for Recreation
While Fréchette focuses on bolstering education, her leadership opponent, Bernard Drainville, is advocating for a different path, including cuts to social assistance for asylum seekers. Drainville argues that a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers – from 60,871 in 2021 to 190,163 in 2025 – is placing unsustainable pressure on Quebec’s public services. He proposes limiting access to social assistance for asylum seekers to six months, with exceptions for those facing severe employment constraints.
According to Drainville, social assistance provided to asylum seekers cost $508 million in 2024, supporting 40,358 beneficiaries, a substantial increase from $109 million in 2020. He also intends to remove access to the Program d’allocation-logement, a housing allowance program offering between $100 and $170 per month to eligible households. Drainville would prioritize citizens for social housing and consider using a clause to reserve daycare spaces for Quebec residents and permanent residents. He also plans to increase pressure on the federal government to restrict Canada’s asylum laws, citing examples from several European countries.
Beyond social policy, Drainville is also appealing to a different constituency, proposing measures to support snowmobilers and ATV enthusiasts. He suggests ending double taxation in controlled exploitation zones (ZEC) and excluding infrastructure for off-road vehicles (VHR) from municipal property tax rolls. Drainville claims these activities generate nearly $4 billion in economic spin-offs annually in Quebec, and argues that current regulations place unnecessary burdens on them.
Maintaining Secularism Laws a Key Issue
Both Fréchette and Drainville have also weighed in on Quebec’s controversial laws regarding religious symbols in the workplace. According to the Montreal Gazette, both candidates affirmed their commitment to maintaining these laws, even if it results in labor shortages. This stance underscores the importance of secularism within the CAQ and signals a continuation of the party’s existing policies.
The upcoming CAQ leadership race marks the first in the party’s history, as François Legault co-founded the CAQ in 2011 and has served as its sole leader until his recent announcement to step down. The choice between Fréchette’s emphasis on stability and Drainville’s more assertive proposals will define the future direction of the CAQ and the province of Quebec.
The next key date for the CAQ leadership race is April 12, when the party will select its new leader and, the next Premier of Quebec. Further details on the leadership campaign and candidate platforms can be found on the Coalition Avenir Québec website.
This leadership contest comes at a critical juncture for Quebec, as the province grapples with economic challenges, demographic shifts, and ongoing debates about identity and social policy. The decisions made by the next premier will have a profound impact on the lives of Quebecers for years to approach.
If you are experiencing distress or are in need of support, resources are available. You can contact the Canadian Mental Health Association at 1-800-875-6213 or visit their website at https://cmha.ca/.
