Quebec Liberal Party sweeps West End Montreal ridings in election

During the October 5, 2026, Quebec provincial election, the Quebec Liberal Party swept all seven ridings in Montreal’s west end, dominating traditional strongholds while facing razor-thin margins in central districts, montrealgazette.com reported. Michelle Setlakwe secured Mont-Royal—Outremont with 15,615 votes, finishing more than 9,000 ballots ahead of Québec solidaire runner-up Marianne Locas-Ouimet. Meanwhile, the suburban.com noted that incumbent Elisabeth Prass captured 60.76 per cent of the vote in D’Arcy-McGee, improving upon her 2022 performance and outpacing Conservative challenger Adrien Pouliot, who finished second with 5,188 votes according to montrealgazette.com.

Montreal West End Liberal Victories and Margin Breakdown

Liberal candidates swept the western sector of the city by commanding margins in several constituencies. Désirée McGraw won Notre-Dame-de-Grâce with 16,355 votes against 4,761 for Québec solidaire candidate Élise Davignon, montrealgazette.com reported. Jennifer Maccarone took Westmount—Saint-Louis with 14,532 votes, leaving Québec solidaire opponent Olivier Sylvestre far behind at 3,729 votes. Former Chamber of Commerce of Greater Montreal president Michel Leblanc won Marguerite-Bourgeoys with 14,605 votes, defeating Parti Québécois candidate Luc Côté, who garnered 4,233 votes. In the Saint-Laurent riding, new Liberal candidate Valérie Assouline secured victory with 54.45 per cent of the vote, according to thesuburban.com.

Tight Contests in Verdun and Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne

While traditional west end seats remained secure, races in central Montreal districts proved drastically closer. montrealgazette.com reported that Antoine Dionne-Charest, son of former Liberal premier Jean Charest, narrowly won Verdun by 710 votes, taking 12,373 ballots to 11,663 for Québec solidaire candidate Alejandra Zaga Mendez. An even tighter contest unfolded in Saint-Henri—Sainte-Anne, where Liberal candidate Benoit Clermont collected 13,340 votes, defeating Québec solidaire opponent Guillaume Cliche-Rivard by a margin of just 39 votes.

Expanding Voter Appeal Beyond Traditional Strongholds

Despite the regional sweep, Liberal candidates acknowledged the urgent need to broaden their base across the province. Prass noted to montrealgazette.com that polling figures indicated the party stood at roughly 17 per cent support within the francophone community. We have to position ourselves as the responsible party and the party that represents all Quebecers rather than just a portion of them, Prass said. Setlakwe added that the party must connect with voters outside Montreal by emphasizing Canadian unity and economic stability.

Constituents Fear Economic Uncertainty from Another Referendum

Maccarone told montrealgazette.com that constituents remain worried about the economic uncertainty that could accompany another sovereignty referendum under a Parti Québécois government. They’re concerned with the three or four years that will lead up to the vote, Maccarone said, warning that prolonged uncertainty could deter foreign and domestic investment in Quebec. Alongside economic stability, returning legislators identified health care, education, and housing as their core priorities for the upcoming legislative term.