Provincial Elections 2026

Urge Parties to Make Commitments for Animals this Election Year

This year, party leaders, elected officials, and candidates will be asking Quebecers for your support. That means now is the time to let them know which issues matter to you.

The 2026 provincial election will be a critical moment for animals — and for the people who care about their wellbeing.

A Game Changing Year for Animal Welfare in Quebec?

Forbidding pets in rental housing, farming wild animals for their fur, leaving farmed animals with virtually no legal protection, and handling animal custody when a couple splits up — at the Montreal SPCA, a lot of our work is dealing with the symptoms of these issues, but only the Quebec government can address the causes.

But you have the power to influence the commitments political parties make ahead of this year’s election.

Election years offer a unique opportunity to ensure that animal welfare is reflected in clear, public commitments in their platforms. As the parties are considering which issues to include in their platforms, they need to hear from their constituents about the issues that matter to them ― early and often. When voters speak up during an election year, it shapes priorities, platforms, and the actions taken by the next government.

By acting now, we can ensure that whichever party forms government after the election, they will already have committed to taking real steps to improve the lives of animals.

Add your voice today and help make sure all parties know that animal welfare is an issue they can’t afford to ignore.

Make animal protection a key election issue in Quebec in 2026!

Consult our citizen toolkit to navigate the October 5 provincial elections and get actively involved in putting animal protection on political parties’ agendas. The electoral period is a unique opportunity to secure commitments, to raise awareness, and to enlist new political allies to support animal issues.

Our political representatives are the voice of citizens who elected them. They have the power to pass laws and make a real difference in the lives of countless animals ― and to have a lasting impact on the place given to animals in public debate. It is essential for us to remind them that these issues are important to citizens.

The more our elected representatives are informed and made aware of matters concerning animal welfare, through multiple sources, the stronger their motivation to get involved!

Ready to do more?

1. First, get ready to talk about animal protection with party representatives who will contact you during the campaign and to personally contact the candidates running for office in your riding. Animals are counting on you!

Prepare your outreach by reading the “Speaking Up for Animals” section at the bottom of this page for tips and advice on communicating with candidates and political parties.

Learn about the four priority issues identified by the Montreal SPCA for the 2026 provincial elections so that we can speak with one voice during this electoral period, namely:

Access to housing for people living with companion animals: view the printable fact sheet and learn more on our website.
Regulating the welfare of farmed animals: learn more on our website.
Ban fur farming: consult the printable fact sheet and learn more on our website.
Animal custody in cases of separation: consult the printable fact sheet and learn more on our website.

Do more! What are your priorities in terms of animal protection? What important issue would you like to directly participate in improving?

Get ready to discuss these issues with the candidates by consulting our comprehensive document on reform proposals regarding animal protection at the provincial level (printable PDF).

2. Contact the candidates and parties!

You can email them, call them, or contact them on social media. Express yourself politely and ask for a meeting!

To see who is running in your district, visit the Élections Québec page.

3. Next, make sure you’ve participated in our three current campaigns:

— Animals and housing: sign the letter to keep families together

— End Fur Farming: sign the letter to ban fur farms.

— Animal custody in cases of separation: sign the letter to ensure that the courts take the interests of animals into account.

4. Follow us to stay informed

Follow the Montreal SPCA Facebook page, the citizen mobilization Facebook page, and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about the latest developments in the parties’ positions on animal protection issues and to share tools and targeted actions.

Do you have other questions regarding animals in relation to the upcoming elections?

Write to us at defense@spca.com. Please note that we take a while to get back to you during busy periods. We suggest that you review the documents shared above before contacting us. We suggest you review all the information on this page before contacting us

Thank you for your commitment. Your actions count, and animals are counting on you!

Speaking up on behalf of animals

2026 provincial elections

During the electoral period, be ready to bring up the subject of animal protection with any candidate or party representative who calls you or knocks on your door to ask for your support. Tell them this is an essential issue for you.

Next, be proactive. Attend public debates, ask questions, and express your concerns. Above all, contact the candidates directly to request a phone conversation or set up a face-to-face meeting.

How to prepare to discuss the issues

1. Be well informed

As much as possible, have solid facts and figures at your fingertips. Put forward expert opinions on the issues you raise, and cite references to back yourself up.

In preparation for the October 5 provincial elections, consult our four fact sheets (in PDF format) as well as additional resources on our website:

Animals and housing: fact sheet (french only) and website
Farmed animal welfare: fact sheet (french only) and website
Fur farms: fact sheet (french only) and website
Animal custody: fact sheet (french only) and website

Learn about other animal protection issues by consulting our relevant reform proposals, compiled in a single document.

Prepare counterarguments
The animal welfare measures you hope to see adopted may be met with resistance, whether from lobbyists or individuals. By having a good understanding of your opponents’ arguments, you will be able to respond intelligently. Bring facts to support your claims and respond to your opponents in a convincing manner. Be calm and courteous; this will add to your credibility.

Read over election platforms
Identify any content related to animal protection or animal welfare that may appear in the parties’ previous and current platforms. Keep an eye on the Montreal SPCA Facebook page and the citizen mobilization Facebook page, where we will highlight the parties’ commitments to animal protection. You can also subscribe to our newsletter.

2. Present your requests strategically

Make sure you’re speaking with the right level of government
Most issues regarding animals are regulated by specific jurisdictions (municipal, provincial, or federal level). Our reform proposals document, referenced above, is a comprehensive tool that will help you identify the most relevant issues to address at the provincial level.

Identify precedents as potential examples to follow
Highlight the progress of other provinces or countries where better animal protection regulations are already in place. Our fact sheets and the document mentioned above can be helpful resources. Inspire politicians by giving them compelling examples and by showing them the positive repercussions of these actions. In the absence of existing precedent on an issue, invite politicians to lead the way by being the first to implement positive change toward animal welfare.

Highlight additional benefits for society
Highlight the positive impact your requests or proposals may have on other issues of public interest.

Mention any economic or social benefits that may come from better animal protection. Is the matter you are raising also a public safety issue? An environmental issue? A public health issue? A social justice issue? Be sure to bring it up.

Make constructive proposals
If there is no possibility of changing a law or regulation, or if your main request is denied, be prepared to follow up with other constructive and applicable requests. Are you proposing more education or awareness on the subject? If so, by what means? Would better enforcement of the current regulations improve animal welfare? What are the current system’s shortcomings that you or other experts have noticed?

Prepare a brief written summary
After an in-person meeting, give the politician or candidate a well-structured document summarizing the main issues, supporting data and sources, and including your contact information.

For the current elections, feel free to use our printable fact sheets for this purpose.

3. Find allies and coordinate your actions

To find potential allies, gather as much information as possible from newspaper articles, open letters, and media statements by animal protection organizations. Find associations, professional orders (veterinarians, etc.), or any other group that might be supportive of the issues you raise.

Follow us on social media: in the coming months, the Montreal SPCA will propose coordinated actions to unite the voices of citizens who are allies in the defense of animals, echoing your willingness to participate in political change. Many of us believe animal protection is an essential issue, and it is through strength in numbers that we can bring about positive change for animals!

4. Celebrate victories—even small ones!

Improving animal protection is an urgent matter, so every step in the right direction deserves to be highlighted. Politicians will be more receptive to you if you recognize any progress already made on this issue, however modest, and explain why further improvement is necessary. Political victories sometimes require compromise.

Keep in mind that requests that are backed by significant public support can rapidly improve the fate of a large number of animals.

Who to contact regarding the 2026 provincial elections

In addition to broaching the subject of animal protection with any candidate or party representative who contacts you during the campaign, you can also contact candidates directly to request a phone call or a meeting. How?

First, identify the riding you live in.

Visit this link to find out.

Next, identify the candidates of each party in your riding.

Below is the list, in alphabetical order, of parties with at least one candidate elected to the National Assembly last term.

If you can’t find your candidates’ email addresses, contact the party constituency offices directly and ask for the name of the candidate running in your district.

Sometimes, candidates also have a social media page where their team can answer you directly.

You can also contact the parties at the following addresses:

Coalition Avenir Québec: info@coalitionavenirquebec.org
Conservative Party of Quebec: info@conservateur.quebec
Parti Québécois: info@pq.org
Quebec Liberal Party: info@plq.org
Québec Solidaire: info@quebecsolidaire.net

Don't forget the opposition parties; they can be important allies! Animal protection is a non-partisan issue. All parties will benefit from strengthening their commitments in this area.

Follow up
Take notes on the issues that candidates or parties have shown openness to or made commitments about. Be persistent and follow up on these commitments after the elections. Remind them of these issues regularly! Participate in any public consultations that may be scheduled.

Have you contacted candidates and received responses or commitments?
Let us know by writing to defense@spca.com!