MONTREAL — Quebec Premier François Legault announced plans for new legislation aimed at expediting environmental approvals. This initiative is modeled after the federal major projects law. Legault made the announcement during a Sunday evening appearance on the popular Quebec talk show, Tout le monde en parle.

He stated that the proposed Quebec bill will be "equivalent" to Bill C-5, which is designed to fast-track projects considered to be in the national interest. "Currently, it takes years to get environmental permits," Legault said. "We can’t afford that."

Internally referred to as "Q-5," the legislation aims to accelerate the launch of significant projects to create jobs in the province. Legault emphasized that environmental protections would remain intact despite the push for faster approvals. However, he has also suggested that his government might "take a pause" on certain environmental policies. In a recent interview with Radio-Canada, he remarked that Quebec "cannot be the only state in North America making an effort" to combat climate change.

Legault's party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, has been struggling in the polls and faces the possibility of losing all 83 seats in the upcoming election scheduled for October 2026. A recent poll aggregator indicated that the party could be completely wiped out if an election were held today. Adding to the political turmoil, a former minister, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, resigned from the caucus after being removed from cabinet earlier this month. She expressed a loss of faith in Legault and suggested he should reconsider his leadership.

In response, Legault asserted that he has the backing of "the vast majority" of his caucus and implied that Blanchette Vézina's departure was due to her disappointment over her cabinet position.

Additionally, Legault reaffirmed his government's commitment to strengthening secularism rules in Quebec. Last month, Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge announced plans to introduce a bill banning prayer in public spaces. Legault stated, "The majority of Quebecers do not like to see people on their knees in our streets," referencing recent Muslim prayers during pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, which have caused tensions in the province. He added, "What’s happening in Gaza is unacceptable. But is this our fight?"

The Quebec national assembly was initially set to resume on September 16, but Legault opted to prorogue the legislature until September 30 as he reorganized his cabinet.