The Next Generation Is Being Priced Out. Quebec, What’s the Game Plan?
For many young Quebecers, buying a first home feels further away than it did for the generation before them. They’re working, saving and planning, yet the price of entry keeps moving.
Housing is a major issue in this provincial election. The parties are offering different ways to help buyers, increase construction and improve access to housing. Here’s a plain-language look at the proposals.
What are the Quebec parties proposing?
Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) is focusing on support for first-time buyers, giving municipalities more tools to speed up construction, and increasing the number of homes built.
Parti Québécois (PQ) proposes a QST refund of up to $45,000 for eligible first-time buyers purchasing a newly built home or building one themselves. It also proposes raising the first-home tax credit to $3,000, speeding up permits, and encouraging more housing supply and density.
Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) aims to reach 100,000 new housing units per year over time, including 40,000 additional social and affordable units over five years. Its approach also calls for fewer construction barriers and greater use of prefabrication.
Québec solidaire (QS) proposes interest-free down-payment loans of up to $50,000 for qualifying first-time buyers. Its plan also includes 50,000 social and community housing units, stronger protections for renters, and changes to real estate bidding practices. Its proposed loan amount depends in part on whether the buyer chooses a new or existing home.
Conservative Party of Québec (PCQ) is focused on increasing supply by reducing regulatory and tax barriers, simplifying construction rules, and giving the construction industry more flexibility.
These are campaign proposals, not programs currently available to buyers. Eligibility, timelines and final details matter.
My perspective: help buyers, then address the bottleneck
As an urban planner and real estate broker, I see the value in helping first-time buyers. A generation that works hard and saves should have a realistic path to homeownership.
But purchase assistance can only do so much if too few homes are available. If we want lasting progress, Québec also needs to make it easier to build the right housing in the right places.
That means faster, more predictable approvals. It means allowing a wider range of homes, from smaller starter properties to family-sized units. It means thoughtful density near transit, services and infrastructure that already exist.
There’s no perfect plan in this election. I’ll be looking closely at which proposals can deliver homes people can actually afford, and how quickly they can do it. The next generation deserves more than a better way to compete for the same limited supply.
Advance voting is September 27 and 28. Election day is October 5, 2026. Check Élections Québec for your voting location and options. What should Québec prioritize: help for first-time buyers, more housing construction, or both?
