Quebec regional poll reveals healthcare and local services as top priorities

A new poll released at the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM) annual congress highlights the priorities of residents in Quebec municipalities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants ahead of the October 5 election. The survey, conducted by Léger, identifies healthcare access and the maintenance of local services as the top priority for 71% of respondents. Other major concerns include housing affordability, public services, economic development, and the environment. Notably, 82% of those surveyed prefer investing in the maintenance of existing infrastructure over constructing new projects.

Regarding voting intentions in these regions, the Parti québécois leads with 32% support, followed by the CAQ at 21%, the Liberal Party at 20%, the Conservative Party at 17%, and Québec solidaire at 9%.

In response to these regional challenges, Québec solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal proposed several commitments to municipal leaders, including a $500 million annual climate emergency fund, $2 billion yearly for infrastructure maintenance, and the creation of 400 regional healthcare service points to strengthen local care.