Soraya Martinez Ferrada Elected Leader of Ensemble Montréal
Following its leadership race, Ensemble Montréal is pleased to announce the election of Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada as party leader and candidate for mayor of Montreal for the next municipal elections. With an impressive career as a manager, former city councillor, Member of Parliament, minister, and above all, a personal journey marked by resilience, Soraya embodies the bold and unifying leadership needed to address Montreal’s challenges.
“Soraya chose Montreal and Ensemble Montréal. Today, a new era begins for our party and its members. We are confident that Montrealers will choose her in turn to lead their city and respond to their needs. It’s time to give our metropolis a municipal administration that takes responsibility. Soraya possesses both the listening skills and determination that we collectively need,” emphasizes Carmine Pollice, President of Ensemble Montréal.
Ensemble Montréal invites citizens to meet Soraya Martinez Ferrada, who will continue to be on the ground in the coming weeks. Housing, mobility, security, homelessness, economy and environment: she is determined to build a municipal administration in line with the true priorities of Montrealers.
“I am happy to have united citizens and to be elected leader of Ensemble Montréal. I want to bring Montrealers together and make them proud of their city with a party that represents their realities. Beginning next week, I’ll be embarking on a comprehensive tour across Montreal’s boroughs to connect directly with residents, businesses, and community organizations,” says Soraya Martinez Ferrada, leader of Ensemble Montréal.
A rally will be held shortly. All details regarding this event will be communicated at a later date.
About Soraya Martinez Ferrada
Soraya Martinez Ferrada settled in Montreal with her family in the 1980s after fleeing the dictatorship in Chile. Her life journey has been marked by great resilience, including the necessity to rely on food banks to meet her family’s needs. This is how she became aware of the importance of community support and developed a strong commitment to social justice.
Her political career began in 2005, when she was elected as a city councillor for Saint-Michel. Soraya Martinez Ferrada distinguished herself from her first term by her ability to lead ambitious projects, such as the transformation of the Miron quarry into Frédéric-Back Park, a symbol of sustainable development in Montreal, as well as the burying of electrical wires under Jarry Street that had been awaited for 40 years. She also played a major role in organizing the Culture Summit, which gave birth to the creation of the Quartier des Spectacles and consolidated Montreal’s status as the cultural capital of Canada.
A woman of action, Soraya left partisan politics to devote herself to community and environmental development, working notably at TOHU. She finally returned to politics in 2019, winning election as the Member of Parliament for Hochelaga—a remarkable achievement considering the riding had not been Liberal for 30 years. Her leadership and commitment led to her appointment in 2023 as Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Quebec.
