Terrebonne byelection: electors head to polls in riding northeast of Montreal

Pierre Fitzgibbon leaves a news conference before a CAQ caucus meeting in Rimouski, Que., Wednesday, Sept.4, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

MONTREAL — Voters will go to the polls today in a riding northeast of Montreal to replace former economy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon.

The former high-profile cabinet minister in François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec quit politics in September 2024.

The Terrebonne riding had been held by Fitzgibbon since the Coalition Avenir Québec formed government in 2018, but it had previously been a stronghold of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois going back to 1976.

The PQ has been atop the polls in Quebec, and leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has been campaigning hard to reclaim the riding with his candidate, party president Catherine Gentilcore.

Legault's party is putting up Alex Gagné, president of a Quebec organization fighting for student success.

The ballot includes a total of nine candidates to fill the only vacant seat at the 125-seat legislature.

The race for the empty seat takes place amid trade tensions between Canada and the United States.

The byelection was called when Legault was in Washington in an attempt to dissuade U.S. President Donald Trump from imposing tariffs on Canadian products.

Legault's party holds 86 seats in the legislature, followed by the Quebec Liberals at 19, Québec Solidaire at 12, the PQ at four seats and three Independents.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2025.

The Canadian Press