After eight years under Valérie Plante and her party Projet Montréal, Montrealers voted in favour of change.

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, who stepped down from her post as a federal cabinet minister to run for mayor, was projected to win with 43 per cent of the vote as of 1 a.m. Monday.

She beat out Luc Rabouin, Plante’s successor, by eight per cent.

Her party won over several boroughs from Projet and appeared poised to take a majority of seats at city council.

"Tonight, Montreal sent a clear message — we need change,” Martinez-Ferrada said in her victory speech.

It was a convincing win for Martinez Ferrada, who arrived in Montreal at age eight when her family fled the Pinochet regime in Chile.

Updated A recap of last night's victory

Catch up on results for Laval, West Island and deme

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