Soraya Martinez Ferrada to lead Ensemble Montréal in municipal elections

Soraya Martinez Ferrada is the new Ensemble Montreal leader and will face off against the yet-to-be-determined leader of Projet Montreal.

Former federal cabinet minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada is officially in the running to be the next mayor of Montreal.

Municipal party Ensemble Montréal says Martinez Ferrada has been named leader and will be its mayoral candidate in the November municipal election.

Martinez Ferrada quit her post as tourism minister and as one of the Liberals' national campaign co-chairs earlier this month.

Her entry into the mayoral race comes as Mayor Valérie Plante has announced she is not seeking re-election and her Projet Montréal party prepares to choose a new leader on March 15.

Ensemble Montréal had originally planned to elect a leader April 6, but Martinez Ferrada was acclaimed after no other candidates came forward ahead of today’s nomination deadline.

A former city councillor, Martinez Ferrada had been the MP for the riding of Hochelaga since 2019.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Feb. 28, 2025.