Quebec premier promises new legislation inspired by federal major projects law

By Canadian Press on September 21, 2025.

MONTREAL — Quebec Premier François Legault says his government will table new legislation to speed up environmental approvals, modelled on the federal major projects law.

During a Sunday evening appearance on popular Quebec talk show Tout le monde en parle, Legault said the Quebec bill will be “equivalent” to Bill C-5, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s signature legislation meant to fast-track projects deemed to be in the national interest.

“Currently, it takes years to get environmental permits,” he said. “We can’t afford that.”

Legault said the planned Quebec legislation is known internally as “Q-5,” a reference to the federal law. He said its aim would be to get big projects off the ground faster to create new jobs in the province, though he insisted that environmental protections wouldn’t be sacrificed.

The Quebec premier has recently suggested that his government could “take a pause” on certain environmental policies, however. In another interview with Radio-Canada earlier this month, he claimed Quebec “cannot be the only state in North America making an effort” to fight climate change.

Legault’s governing party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, has been trailing badly in the polls for months and could be wiped out in the next election, set for October 2026. According to poll aggregator Qc125.com, the party could lose all of its 83 seats if an election were held today.

Last week, one of Legault’s former ministers quit his caucus after being shuffled out of cabinet earlier this month. Maïté Blanchette Vézina said she had lost faith in Legault and he should reconsider his future as leader of the party.

But on Sunday, Legault insisted he has the support of “the vast majority” of his caucus, and suggested Blanchette Vézina was merely disappointed at having been dropped from cabinet.

The premier also doubled down on his government’s plans to strengthen secularism rules in Quebec. Last month, Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge announced he would table a bill to ban prayer in public places.

“The majority of Quebecers do not like to see people on their knees in our streets,” Legault said Sunday. He referred specifically to Muslim prayers taking place as part of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in front of the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, which have sparked tensions in Quebec.

“What’s happening in Gaza is unacceptable,” he said. “But is this our fight?”

Quebec’s national assembly had been scheduled to resume on Sept. 16, but Legault decided to prorogue the legislature until Sept. 30 as he shuffled his cabinet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2025.

Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press