Nicolas Marceau is expected to return to Quebec’s cabinet on Wednesday as Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon prepares to unveil a 23-member Council of Ministers.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on October 21, 2026, in the Legislative Council Chamber at the Parliament Building in Quebec City.
Marceau is expected to take responsibility for Finance, returning to a portfolio he held during Pauline Marois’s Parti Québécois government from 2012 to 2014.
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Nicolas Marceau returns to a key economic role
The appointment would mark Marceau’s return to provincial politics after he represented Rousseau from 2009 to 2018.
He was elected in Marie-Victorin during Quebec’s October 5 general election and became one of the most prominent economic figures on the Parti Québécois team during the campaign.
His expected return places an experienced minister at the centre of the new government’s early economic decisions.
The finance minister will face immediate pressure to set out the government’s approach to Quebec’s books, economic growth, taxation and relations with Ottawa.
The portfolio will also be closely watched because the Parti Québécois is taking office after years of debate over provincial spending, public services and the sustainability of government programs.
St-Pierre Plamondon prepares a smaller cabinet
St-Pierre Plamondon is expected to present a cabinet of 23 ministers, a smaller team than the previous Coalition Avenir Québec government’s final cabinet.
The new premier is expected to assign several major portfolios to elected members with parliamentary experience, while also giving responsibilities to newcomers who entered the legislature after the election.
Joël Arseneau is expected to take the Education portfolio, while Marie-Karlynn Laflamme is expected to become health minister.
Catherine Gentilcore is expected to receive responsibility for Immigration.
Other expected appointments include Elsie Lefebvre at Housing, Marie-Claude Sarrazin at Justice and Nicolas Girard at Transport and Sustainable Mobility.
Guy Jr.
Lapointe is expected to oversee the province’s internal security responsibilities.
The final titles and distribution of responsibilities will be confirmed during the appointments.
What happens during the October 21 ceremony
The swearing-in will formally establish the new executive council under St-Pierre Plamondon’s leadership.
The ceremony is expected to proceed without Quebec’s lieutenant-governor, Manon Jeannotte, being physically present at the Parliament Building.
The appointments still require the formal constitutional steps, including the signing of the relevant instruments of appointment under the province’s Great Seal.
St-Pierre Plamondon’s decision to proceed without the lieutenant-governor in the room has added a constitutional and symbolic dimension to an otherwise routine government transition.
The Parti Québécois leader has previously emphasized Quebec’s democratic institutions and the province’s autonomy within Canada.
What the new government faces next
Once the cabinet is sworn in, ministers will begin preparing the government’s legislative and financial agenda.
Marceau’s first major task will be to establish the government’s fiscal position and explain how its election commitments will be financed.
The government will also need to prepare for the opening of the new parliamentary session, where it will face questions from opposition parties and negotiate support as it governs without a majority.
The cabinet’s composition will offer an early indication of which files St-Pierre Plamondon considers most urgent.
For voters, the first practical tests will likely involve the cost of living, health-care services, education, housing affordability, immigration and the province’s economic relationship with the federal government.
The full list of ministers and their mandates is expected to be released after the afternoon ceremony.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Quebec’s new cabinet be sworn in?
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Parliament Building in Quebec City.
What position is Nicolas Marceau expected to hold?
Marceau is expected to become Quebec’s finance minister, returning to the portfolio he held from 2012 to 2014.
Who is Quebec’s new premier?
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is preparing to be sworn in as premier and will unveil the new Parti Québécois cabinet.
How large is the expected Quebec cabinet?
The expected cabinet is made up of 23 ministers.
What happens after the cabinet ceremony?
Ministers will begin preparing the government’s legislative, fiscal and policy agenda ahead of the new parliamentary session.
Fact-Checked: Key dates, the ceremony details and expected appointments were checked against Quebec government, National Assembly and current public-record information.
Disclaimer: Some portfolio assignments remain subject to formal confirmation during the October 21 swearing-in ceremony.