Politics · Canada · 6 hrs ago
Nicolas Girard named minister responsible for Quebec City region
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon named Nicolas Girard as minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region, which includes Quebec City.
Girard represents Repentigny, outside the region, and also becomes transport and municipal affairs minister.
The appointment comes after no member of the premier’s Parti Québécois was elected in the greater Quebec City area in the October 5 general election.
Girard previously led Quebec City's public transit agency and has held transport management roles in Montreal and Laval.
Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand welcomed the choice, saying Girard knows the region and supports public transit.
The premier says the tramway project and more frequent public transit are priorities, alongside efforts to reduce road congestion.
St-Pierre Plamondon is also considering two options for stronger representation of Quebec City's interests: asking opposition members to speak for the city or appointing government representatives to work from the premier's office, with an announcement expected in the coming days.
Nicolas Girard was named minister responsible for Quebec’s Capitale-Nationale region on Wednesday.
He is also Quebec’s minister of Transport and Municipal Affairs, with responsibility for sustainable mobility.
Girard is a member of the National Assembly for Repentigny and previously led the Réseau de transport de la Capitale.
Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said his government is considering other ways to represent Quebec City’s interests.
Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand welcomed Girard’s appointment, citing his knowledge of the region and transport issues.
- Who
- Nicolas Girard, a member of the National Assembly for Repentigny, was named minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region.
- What
- He was also named minister of Transport and Municipal Affairs, with responsibility for sustainable mobility.
- When
- Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
- Where
- Quebec, in the provincial government; the role concerns the Capitale-Nationale region.
- Why
- No Parti Québécois member was elected in the greater Quebec City region, leaving the region without a representative in the cabinet.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No Parti Québécois member was elected in the greater Quebec City region in the general election.
Nicolas Girard was sworn in as minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region, as well as minister of Transport and Municipal Affairs.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he was considering two additional ways to represent Quebec City’s interests in his government.
- Appointed minister
- Nicolas Girard
- Constituency
- Repentigny
- Regional portfolio
- Capitale-Nationale
- Previous role
- Director general of the Réseau de transport de la Capitale, 2022–2026
- Other portfolios
- Transport and Municipal Affairs
3 sources
What people are saying
It's good news because it's someone who knows the region. It's someone we've already worked with.
We are evaluating the options and will have an announcement in the coming days.
The role of the new minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility will be to ensure that useful projects and public transit projects underway are heading in the right direction, and that ultimately, we reduce road congestion.