Christine Black elected as mayor of Montreal North

Christine Black was elected mayor of Montreal North on April 24, 2016

Christine Black has been elected as the new borough mayor of Montreal North.

She was chosen by 68 percent of voters in the byelection that took place on Sunday, beating out her closest competitor Kerlande Mibel by a wide margin.

Black, of Team Denis Coderre, is 34 years old and has worked in Montreal North for the past 14 years at the Escale youth centre.

She has been the youth centre's director for the past decade, and also served on several community round tables to find solutions to the problems faced by youth in the area.

Nearly one-third of the 83,000 residents of Montreal North live below the poverty line, with an average income of $25,000 year year.

Black said her priority would be to improve social and economic development.

Coderre said he was proud to support Black in her bid to become borough mayor.

"We're talking a lot about women in politics, we're talking a lot about youth in politics. We need to make it concrete. And today we have a tremendous example of a young woman who said yes, who crossed the line and decided to run," said Coderre.

"Kudos to Christine, and that's the kind of administration I want."

Black will have to contend with racial tension in the area.

Jean-Pierre Bony died earlier this month, several days after being shot with a rubber bullet by police during a drug raid.

A demonstration to denounce Bony's death turned into a riot where the windows of the local police station were smashed.

Activists in the area held a news conference last week to pledge their support of any politician who pledge to reduce racial profiling by police -- but Black questioned their timing, pointing out many members of the groups had already promised their support to Mibel.

The byelection was called to replace former mayor Gilles Deguire, who stepped down in January. Weeks later, he was charged with sexual assault and sexual touching of a minor.

Turnout for Sunday's byelection was 20 percent.