A Quebec election appears imminent according to reports that Quebec Premier Jean Charest has asked that the province's lieutenant-governor be available in Quebec City Wednesday.

According to Radio-Canada, Charest is expected to ask Pierre Duchesne to dissolve the national assembly and kick off an election.

If the election order is issued Wednesday, Election Day will be in early September.

For the past three weeks, politicians have appeared to be getting ready for an election. The Quebec Liberals have been committing money for various projects across the province, about $2 billion last week alone.

Opposition parties have announced candidates in several ridings.

Charest spoke to reporters in Sherbrooke, Que., Tuesday, where he is expected to announce his candidacy. The announcement could be disrupted by students who have planned a demonstration in the area.

Charest wouldn't confirm that the election announcement will come tomorrow but said it will come "soon."

"We want a debate of ideas. There will be two visions for Quebec ... Quebecers will have to decide what type of society they want to live in," said Charest.

Student opposition to tuition hikes will likely be a hot issue in this election campaign. Talks between the government and student associations broke off at the end of May.

The Parti Québécois announced that a former student leader will be a candidate for the party. Léo Bureau-Blouin, former president of Quebec's College Student Federation, plans to run in Laval-des-Rapides.

Another party, the Coalition Avenir Québec, appears to be taking a more centre stance, suggesting a compromise to put an end to the impasse over the increase in tuition fees.

The party's leader, François Legault, said accessibility and quality can be achieved with a $200 annual increase, for the next five years.

The Liberal government's most recent offer to students was $254 per year, for seven years.