Meet the top five Montreal mayoral candidates

Eight candidates are running to replace Valérie Plante as the next mayor of Montreal.

Five of those candidates are represented by a party — Ensemble Montréal, Projet Montréal, Transition Montréal, Action Montréal and Futur Montréal — while the other three are running as independents.

While polls are suggesting the Montreal election could be a two-party race between Ensemble and Projet, those same polls show as many as one-third of eligible voters are undecided.

During the campaign, CityNews spoke to the top five mayoral candidates, who have been making their pitch for why they deserve your vote.

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Ensemble Montréal

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, leader of Ensemble Montréal, has consistently led the polls throughout her campaign. The former federal MP and cabinet minister is banking on voters’ desire change after two terms of Projet Montréal under Plante.

Martinez Ferrada has promised to pass a new affordable housing bylaw; promote the growth of downtown businesses; create a fund to combat homelessness; keep the city clean; better manage construction sites; and improve mobility by re-examining existing bike paths and keeping Camillien-Houde Way open to vehicles.

“Montreal needs to have confidence again, to be able to have ambition again. And to do that, we need to serve on the basics, essential needs of the city, which is to tackle the housing crisis, tackle homelessness, security, cleanliness of the city, have mobility that is fluid and secure, and of course have a city that works and is agile.”

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, mayoral candidate, Ensemble Montréal

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Luc Rabouin, Projet Montréal

Luc Rabouin, leader of Projet Montréal, believes his experience at city council and borough mayor for Plateau–Mont-Royal will help him succeed at the city’s top job.

Rabouin ran on promises to tackle homelessness with transitional housing; increase social housing; revive tramway projects in the East End; centralize planning of construction projects; and increase the city’s climate resilience.

In the recent weeks, Rabouin got the endorsement of former Québec Solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois who wrote an op-ed in La Presse to persuade undecided voters.

“I focus on solutions, concrete solutions. I’m not dreaming, I’m proposing concrete solutions to face the priorities of Montrealers. I’m a leader that has a vision. We are Projet Montréal, so we have clear social and environmental values, this is the same party. But I am a person that is pragmatic, I want to propose concrete solutions that are feasible by the city.”

Luc Rabouin, mayoral candidate, Project Montréal

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Craig Sauvé, Transition Montréal

Craig Sauvé, leader of Transition Montréal and mayoral candidate, was a longtime city councillor for the Sud-Ouest borough.

Sauvé ran on promises to increase the level of affordable housing in Montreal by banning short-term rentals; implement a progressive municipal tax reform that would ensure the city’s “ultra-rich” residents pay more taxes; introduce electoral reform; and create a “nightlife office.”

“I want Montrealers to wake up to a city that’s more affordable, that feels good about itself, that’s celebrating itself a little more and that’s seeing the long-term vision of affordable housing, safe neighbourhoods, and a thriving culture. A city where the vibrancy we love continues for decades to come.”

Craig Sauvé, mayoral candidate, Transition Montréal

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Gilbert Thibodeau, Action Montréal

Gilbert Thibodeau, leader of Action Montréal and mayoral candidate, has positioned himself as a businessman who wants to bring accountability and efficiency to the city hall.

Thibodeau ran on promises to reassess the 20-20-20 housing bylaw; extend the metro’s green line east from Honoré-Beaugrand; cap parking metre rates; and create transition centres for people facing homelessness and addictions.

“We don’t know exactly where the hell goes the money in Montreal. There are $7 billion budget and we’re looking how come every year we don’t have the service that we deserve.”

Gilbert Thibodeau, mayoral candidate, Action Montréal

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Jean-François Kacou, Futur Montréal

Jean-François Kacou, leader of Futur Montréal and mayoral candidate, is a newcomer on the political scene who believes that his “centrist” and “pragmatist” approach addresses the concerns of the voters.

Kacou ran on promises to replace the 20-20-20 rule; repurpose unused spaces into fully-equipped housing for the homeless; improve the city’s bus and cycling network; and implement a new program to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure in homes and businesses.

“We need Montrealers to know that we are the real alternative to Projet Montréal, Ensemble Montréal, and even Transition and Action Montréal because we are seeing the real things that Montrealers want to hear about.”

Jean-François Kacou, mayoral candidate, Futur Montréal

Polling stations across the city will be open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.