STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette and Minister of Labour and current representative of Trois-Rivières Jean Boulet embrace, after announcing that she will run in the Trois-Rivières riding for the upcoming Quebec election, in Trois-Rivières, Que., on Thursday, July 2, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov The Canadian Press
By The Canadian Press

Quebec Premier Fréchette says she will run in Trois-Rivières in October election

Jul 2, 2026 | 1:29 PM

TROIS-RIVIÈRES — Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette has confirmed she is switching ridings and will run to represent her hometown of Trois-Rivières, Que., in the fall general election.

Fréchette told a gathering today she’ll compete in the Trois-Rivières riding vacated by Labour Minister Jean Boulet, who has announced he’s leaving politics.

The premier was introduced by her partner, Guy Nadeau, who said he’d be taking a leave of absence from the finance world to support her.

Fréchette has represented the Sanguinet riding south of Montreal since 2022.

But she said she wanted to run in her hometown, where she was born and lived until the end of her junior college years.

Trois-Rivières is considered a bellwether riding, and poll aggregator Qc125 suggested the Parti Québécois held a narrow lead there ahead of Fréchette’s announcement.

The election is expected to take place on Oct. 5, 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2026.

Pierre Saint-Arnaud, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press