Montreal has elected Soraya Martinez Ferrada as its new mayor, marking a significant change in leadership after eight years under the previous administration. Martinez Ferrada, the leader of Ensemble Montréal, is the first racialized individual to hold the position. She fled Chile as a political refugee in 1980 and moved to Montreal at the age of eight. Martinez Ferrada, a former federal Liberal MP and cabinet minister, announced her candidacy earlier this year after resigning from her role in Justin Trudeau's government. She expressed her commitment to serving the city that welcomed her as a child. In her resignation letter, she stated, "The desire to serve the city that welcomed the young refugee from Chile, to serve the city that gave me my start in politics, is one that is too important for me to ignore." Her victory comes nearly seven months after she became the leader of Ensemble Montréal. She defeated candidates with extensive municipal experience, including Luc Rabouin from Projet Montréal and Craig Sauvé from Transition Montréal. Martinez Ferrada's campaign focused on addressing pressing issues such as housing affordability and homelessness. She has pledged to implement a new affordable housing bylaw, support homeowners at risk of flooding, and create a fund to combat homelessness. Additionally, she plans to assess the city's bike lanes, a controversial aspect of the previous administration's policies. As of 4:30 p.m. ET on election day, voter turnout was estimated at 27 percent, a decline from previous elections. The polls closed at 8 p.m. ET, and by 9:15 p.m., Martinez Ferrada had secured 47 percent of the vote, leading Rabouin by over 11,000 ballots. Ensemble Montréal was projected to lead in more than 35 of the 65 seats on the municipal council. Outgoing mayor Valérie Plante, who led Projet Montréal, chose not to seek a third term, citing the demands of public service. Martinez Ferrada's election signals a shift in Montreal's political landscape, as she aims to address the challenges facing the city, including homelessness and housing issues. In addition to her local victory, other municipal elections in Quebec saw incumbent mayors re-elected in Quebec City and Laval, while Marie-Claude Bibeau, another former federal Liberal minister, was elected mayor in Sherbrooke. With her extensive background in public service and a commitment to change, Martinez Ferrada is poised to lead Montreal into a new era.