Martinez Ferrada Elected Montreal's First Latin American Mayor

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, a former federal Liberal MP and tourism minister who led Ensemble Montréal, was elected mayor of Montreal on Nov. 2–3, 2025, becoming the city's first racialized and Latin American mayor and ending eight years of Projet Montréal rule under Valérie Plante. Preliminary results gave her roughly 42% of the vote versus about 35% for Projet Montréal’s Luc Rabouin, who said he would step down as party leader after the defeat. Martinez Ferrada ran on pledges to pass a new affordable-housing bylaw, create a fund to combat homelessness, help homeowners at flood risk, boost downtown businesses, keep the city clean, better manage construction, and re‑examine bike paths and metro safety. Her personal story as a former Chilean refugee and a recent brief residence in Longueuil were focal points of the campaign, which drew both criticism that she was opportunistic and praise for its historic significance among Latin American and minority communities. Young volunteers and voters said they backed her for more affordable housing and safer streets, though observers cautioned that meaningful change will require time and a careful transition.