Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says his party’s fourth consecutive byelection victory is a sign that Quebecers are ready for profound change.

PQ candidate Marie-Karlynn Laflamme won the byelection in the Chicoutimi riding on Monday with more than 45 per cent of the vote, compared to about 26 per cent for second-place Conservative Catherine Morissette.

St-Pierre Plamondon accused his rivals Tuesday of trying to stoke fear over his promise to hold a referendum in his first term if his party is elected this fall.

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He says a referendum won’t happen in the near term, and the timing will depend on the political situation in the United States.

Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime said in an interview that he’s not stoking fear, but rather repeating the concerns of citizens who say it’s not the right time for a referendum.

He notes that on Monday his party more than tripled its vote share in the Chicoutimi riding compared with the 2022 general election, beating both the governing Coalition Avenir Québec and the official Opposition Liberals.

The Chicoutimi riding is located in Quebec’s Saguenay region.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2026.