TROIS-RIVIÈRES — Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette has confirmed she is switching ridings and will run to represent her hometown of Trois-Rivières, Que., in the fall general election.

Fréchette told a gathering today she’ll compete in the Trois-Rivières riding vacated by Labour Minister Jean Boulet, who has announced he’s leaving politics.

The premier was introduced by her partner, Guy Nadeau, who said he’d be taking a leave of absence from the finance world to support her.

Fréchette has represented the Sanguinet riding south of Montreal since 2022.

But she said she wanted to run in her hometown, where she was born and lived until the end of her junior college years.

Trois-Rivières is considered a bellwether riding, and poll aggregator Qc125 suggested the Parti Québécois held a narrow lead there ahead of Fréchette’s announcement.

The election is expected to take place on Oct. 5, 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2026.

Pierre Saint-Arnaud, The Canadian Press