Sylvie Roy, the independent MNA for Arthabaska, died Sunday afternoon in a Quebec City hospital, her riding office announced.

She had been in hospital since last month after "experiencing discomfort." Hospital staff say she died of acute hepatitis.

Roy was 51 years old.

Previously a member of the Action démocratique du Québec and the Coalition Avenir Québec, she left the CAQ to become an independent in August 2015. She said party leader François Legault did not trust her and did not give her enough responsibilities given her political experience.

"Sylvie Roy is survived by her children Michel and Estelle, her mother Monique Jacob, her stepfather Jean Morissette, her sister Nathalie, her ex-husband Réal Croteau, her political staff, her constituents and several colleagues and friends," the statement said.

'Heart and passion'

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard expressed his condolences in a statement released Sunday night.

"Over more than a decade, Ms. Roy knew how represent her fellow citizens with heart and passion," Couillard said.

CAQ leader François Legault also released words of admiration, saying she was one of the first to call for a public inquiry into the construction industry.

"Sylvie Roy has always been a fighter. She was passionate, she was close to the people, and she wasn't afraid of fighting for her ideals," Legault wrote.