The 2004 Quebec municipal referendums[1] were held by the Quebec Liberal Party government of Jean Charest that came to power in the 2003 Quebec election, in fulfillment of a campaign promise to allow voters to have a say regarding the municipal reorganization program that had been undertaken by the preceding Parti Québécois administration.
From late 2000 to 2003, the PQ government had amalgamated (merged) many Quebec cities with their suburbs or neighbouring municipalities.
However, the amalgamation proved unpopular in some places, with residents wishing to de-merge from the newly expanded cities and reconstitute their former municipalities.
As a first step, a minimum threshold of 10% of the population of a former municipality was required to sign a register in order for a referendum to be held.
^ In 2005, Cap-aux-Meules held a second referendum in which voters chose to remain in the amalgamated Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine municipality after all.