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The Quebec Liberal party will be heading to the National Assembly with 40 elected members, after entering the election campaign with only 19.
This marks the third general election in a row that voters chose the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) as the Official Opposition.
PLQ Leader Charles Milliard was elected in the Orford riding in the Eastern Townships, beating Parti Québécois candidate Jocelyn Caron by 4,416 votes.
“It’s a privilege, it’s a dream come true for me,” Milliard said of becoming an elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) during the victory speech that he delivered late Monday night.
“I’m coming home, and I am coming home as the MNA for Orford!”
Milliard, who is openly gay, also thanked his partner Simon and his family. He thanked Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Leader Christine Fréchette, as well, for her service over the past few months, and asked his supporters to give her a round of applause.
During his speech, Milliard let voters know in English that his party would work with the new minority government, but not when it comes to any plans of a referendum.
WATCH | Milliard states his limit when it comes to collaborating with PQ:
Charles Milliard says Liberals will not collaborate on referendum
The Liberal leader says his party will be a credible and relevant opposition to the Parti Québécois’s minority government, willing to collaborate on many issues important to Quebecers. But supporting a referendum will not be one of them.
As of Monday morning at 8 a.m., the Liberals had earned 24.22 per cent of the votes across the province, compared to 28.02 per cent for the Parti Québécois (PQ).
Beside maintaining its strongholds in Montreal, the party made significant gains in Laval, where each of the six ridings are now held by Liberals — a feat that hasn’t happened since 2014. The PLQ also made gains in the Outaouais, the Montérégie, the Eastern Townships and Quebec City.
The Liberals also eked out wins in a couple of closely contested ridings. In Vachon on Montreal’s South Shore, the Liberals had a 14-vote lead on the PQ as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The seat was previously held by incumbent CAQ minister Ian Lafrenière.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, Québec Solidaire MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard was projected to lose his Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne seat to the Liberals, but there were only 39 votes separating the two parties at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
Quebec Liberal Party Leader Charles Milliard celebrates on stage on election day in North Hatley, Que., on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)
From pharmacist to elected political leader
This was Milliard’s first election as party leader, and his first attempt at winning a seat in the Quebec legislature. Although he caught the political bug at a young age, he waited until his 40s before running for office.
Born in 1979 in Lévis, Que., on the south shore of Quebec City, he began his career as a pharmacist. He quickly rose through the ranks at the pharmacy Uniprix, notably by writing health columns in Quebec media. In 2013, at age 33, he was named executive vice president of the pharmacy chain.
After a stint at the public relations firm National, he was appointed CEO of the federation of Quebec chambers of commerce in 2020. There, he voiced the concerns of the business community to the CAQ government.
WATCH | Getting to know PLQ leader Charles Milliard:
Quebec Liberal leader on health care, immigration and the future of federalism
As the provincial election nears, Quebec Liberal Party Leader Charles Milliard sat down with CBC’s Debra Arbec for an in-depth interview.
His work at the federation allowed him to broaden his focus beyond healthcare to include the economy, entrepreneurship, education, transportation and the environment.
He finally entered partisan politics in 2024, announcing his intention to run for the leadership of the Liberal party.
Milliard was confirmed as leader of the Quebec Liberals in February, following an earlier unsuccessful attempt. He succeeded Pablo Rodriguez, who had resigned from his position amid an alleged vote-buying scandal.
It was a pivotal moment for a party that had been plagued by poor showings and controversies for years. At one point, there were concerns from Liberal insiders that the PLQ might lose its official party status in this general election.
Instead, it was the CAQ that was wiped off the map, losing every single one of its seats after winning 90 in the last election.
During the campaign, Milliard stressed that the Liberals are the only party on the ballot that can be counted on to defend Canadian federalism. He also voiced that the Liberal vote was likely “underestimated” in certain regions.