Independent Quebec would adopt its own currency, PQ leader says

SHERBROOKE — Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon wants Quebec to have its own currency in the event it becomes an independent country.

But it would be slow transition of at least 10 years with the Canadian dollar before reaching that point, St-Pierre Plamondon said Saturday.

“The goal here is to end our dependence, and the reason we want to end our dependence — whether political, financial, or monetary — is that this dependence leads to decisions that hurt us because they are not in our best interest,” St-Pierre Plamondon told a news conference to kickoff the council.

The PQ has been riding high in the polls for two years and St-Pierre Plamondon insists he will hold a referendum in his first term if he’s able to form government in October 2026, even though a majority of Quebecers oppose independence.

The currency option is the latest chapter from the PQ’s Blue Book, which outlines what an independent Quebec would look like.

St-Pierre Plamondon said the plan would be for Quebec to have its own monetary policy and its own central bank.

However, the PQ wants to establish an independent commission following a successful sovereignty referendum, which would then make its own recommendations including whether or not to create a Quebec currency.

But St-Pierre Plamondon said he believes a Quebec currency is “by far the most likely scenario.”

The PQ considered two other scenarios: keeping the Canadian dollar or adopting the American currency.

According to the PQ leader, keeping the Canadian dollar would have ensured “stability and continuity.” The problem, he argued, would stem from the fact that an independent Quebec would have no influence on Canada’s monetary policy.

It’s a similar issue with the U.S. dollar. “In times of crisis, for example, actions will be taken solely based on American interests, and Quebec’s situation will be completely ignored,” he explained.

St-Pierre Plamondon added using the U.S dollar given the current context would not be acceptable in the province.

Last week, the PQ leader revealed the chapter dealing with the international relations of a sovereign Quebec, promising to open offices in twice as many countries as it currently has, going from 19 to 38.

That would be done even before a referendum is held, with the ultimate goal of establishing a network of influence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2025.