The Main's guide to the 2025 Montreal mayoral race: Candidates, issues, and how to vote

So, here we are once again: Montreal is electing a new mayor. Valérie Plante isn't running again, and whoever will be dealing with a housing crisis, a homelessness emergency, persisting infrastructural quagmires, and ongoing debates about public transportation and bike lanes (as well as a litany of other issues no less important that we don't need to spend a word count on listing).

Five candidates are on the ballot, each with their own vision for what comes next. Here's what they're promising and what's at stake.

The candidates

Luc Rabouin – Projet Montréal

Who he is: Plateau borough mayor since 2019, former chair of the city's executive committee, and the guy who's been managing Montreal's budget for the last few years. Rabouin won the Projet Montréal leadership race in March after Plante stepped aside, making him the party's standard-bearer whether he asked for it or not.

What he's about: Rabouin came into politics wanting to tackle climate change. He says he'll lead differently than Plante—less top-down, more collaborative—but he's still defending the party's overall vision, and running on housing and homelessness. That vision includes more bike lanes, more social housing, and a continued push to make Montreal greener and denser. He's backed off some of Projet's more polarizing moves, though, from postponing the plan to close Camillien-Houde on Mount Royal to reversing the biweekly garbage collection experiment in Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve that had people losing their minds over rats.

The pitch: Steady hands, progressive values, a willingness to course-correct when things aren't working.

Soraya Martinez Ferrada – Ensemble Montréal

Who she is: Former Liberal MP, former federal tourism minister, current city councillor in Saint-Michel. She was acclaimed as Ensemble Montréal's leader in February, positioning herself as the centrist, pragmatic alternative to Projet's ideological stubbornness.

What she's about: Martinez Ferrada is running on the idea that Projet Montréal has lost the plot—too much construction, not enough coordination, bike lanes going in without proper consultation, and a general sense that city hall isn't listening to people who just want to get to work without losing their minds. Her pitch is to bring back some common sense, give borough mayors more power, and stop treating every policy decision like a referendum on the future of the planet. She wants to audit every bike path in the city, crack down on short-term rentals, and make sure roadwork doesn't turn into a multi-year nightmare.

The pitch: Progressive, but not preachy. Pragmatic, but not boring. A steady hand that won't piss off half the city in the process.

Craig Sauvé – Transition Montréal

Who he is: Sud-Ouest borough councillor since 2013, former Projet Montréal member who left to start his own party. Arguably bringing the most experience to the table with 12 years of experience, Sauvé is positioning Transition Montréal as the progressive option—further left than Projet, more radical on housing and climate, and willing to say things other candidates won't.

What he's about: Sauvé is running on ideas that push the conversation left. He wants a tax on luxury homes valued over $3.5 million, with the revenue going toward fighting homelessness. He's calling for a moratorium on all short-term rentals in residential units and lower public transit fares for low-income residents. On homelessness, he's proposed declaring a state of emergency and requisitioning vacant buildings to provide temporary shelter. He's also talking about a night mayor to mediate between venues, residents, and the city, and he wants to double funding for independent festivals. His platform is built around the idea that the city needs to be bolder on housing, climate, and inequality—and that half-measures won't cut it.

The pitch: A progressive alternative for voters who think Projet has lost its edge and Ensemble is playing it too safe.

Jean-François Kacou – Futur Montréal

Who he is: Former general manager of Percé, briefly worked for Ensemble Montréal, now running his own party with a tech-forward, business-friendly platform. Kacou leads Futur Montréal as a pragmatic centrist, framing himself as the "real alternative" to both Projet and Ensemble.

What he's about: Kacou is focused on innovation, economic development, and making Montreal more competitive. He wants community microgrids powered by solar, wind, and geothermal energy to supply pilot neighbourhoods. He's proposing a permanent freeze on bike lanes along commercial streets while focusing new cycling infrastructure on residential streets and parks. He's talking about smart ticketing and augmented reality at festivals, public-private partnerships for parking towers, and a four-year bus fare freeze to boost ridership. His platform leans heavily on technological solutions and attracting investment, with an emphasis on making the city a year-round destination for tourism and culture. He's also proposed setting up a social intervention hotline to reduce 911 calls and consolidate resources for homelessness services.

The pitch: A business-minded approach to city-building, with an emphasis on growth and technological solutions.

Gilbert Thibodeau – Action Montréal

Who he is: Ran for mayor in 2017 and 2021, Thibodeau is an entrepreneur who frames himself as an outsider running against bureaucratic inertia and disconnected governance. He's positioned Action Montréal as an alternative for voters frustrated with what he sees as the current administration's exhaustion and lack of responsiveness to everyday concerns.

What he's about: Thibodeau's platform covers a wide range of issues, and his platform combines libertarian economic positions with conservative social policies, emphasizing fiscal discipline, reduced taxes, and support for small businesses. Among his aims? He wants to reconfigure bike lanes that have eliminated parking on commercial streets and remove Bixi stations from December to March to free up public space. He's proposing weekly garbage collection in all boroughs, with the option to increase to twice a week in summer. He's calling for the city to accept cryptocurrency as a payment method for municipal services and to reimburse the welcome tax for first-time homebuyers. On housing, he opposes a rent registry but supports a tax on corporate owners who leave units vacant for more than six months. He also wants to reduce the number of elected officials, regulate religious gatherings in public spaces, and maintain French as the city's official language.

The pitch: A mix of libertarian and conservative positions aimed at voters frustrated with the status quo.

Issues on the table

Housing

Montreal's housing crisis isn't getting better. Rents are up, vacancy rates are down, and the affordable housing bylaw that Plante championed has become a political football. Rabouin and Martinez Ferrada both say they'll scrap it and replace it with something better, though neither has fully explained what that looks like yet.

Rabouin wants a $100-million fund to help non-profits build social housing, a tax on vacant units, and limits on short-term rentals to summer only. Martinez Ferrada is focused on approving stalled projects, banning commercial short-term rentals, and limiting residential ones to 90 days a year. Sauvé is pushing for a luxury home tax on properties over $3.5 million, a public rent registry, and a full moratorium on short-term rentals. Kacou wants a levy on luxury housing to fund affordable projects and faster permit approvals. Thibodeau opposes the rent registry but supports taxing corporate owners who leave units vacant.

Bottom line: Everyone agrees there's a problem. The question is whether the next mayor will actually have the tools—and the political will—to fix it.

Homelessness

The tent encampments aren't going away, and the next mayor is going to have to deal with them. Rabouin says he wants no one living on the street by 2030 and is proposing 500 modular housing units. Martinez Ferrada wants a tactical intervention group and 2,000 transitional housing units. Sauvé is calling for a state of emergency, requisitioning vacant buildings, and banning police from clearing camps without social workers. Kacou wants to consolidate resources from 60+ organizations and create transition zones in renovated factories. Thibodeau is proposing a roundtable with community groups and opening transitional centres within two years.

Bottom line: This isn't a problem that gets solved with one term and one policy. It's a question of how much the next mayor is willing to push the province and feds for real support—and how much political capital they're willing to spend.

Transit and Mobility

Bikes or cars? Trams or metros? Camillien-Houde open or closed? These debates aren't going away.

Rabouin is staying the course on expanding the bike network and pushing for three new tram lines, though he's backing off Camillien-Houde until there's a transit plan for the summit. Martinez Ferrada wants to audit the bike paths and focus on tram connections that make sense for commuters. Sauvé wants metro extensions to Bois-Franc, LaSalle, and Lachine, plus income-based transit fares. Kacou is pitching a high-frequency bus network with 15-minute service and a four-year fare freeze, while permanently freezing bike lane construction on commercial streets. Thibodeau wants to extend the Green line and favours metros over trams.

Bottom line: Montreal's mobility politics are a minefield. Whoever wins will have to navigate the tension between making the city greener and not alienating the people who still need to drive.

Infrastructure and Construction

The orange cones. The endless roadwork. The lack of coordination between the city, boroughs, utilities, and contractors. Everyone is mad about it, and every candidate has a plan to fix it.

Rabouin wants to centralize construction coordination and use AI to optimize traffic lights. Martinez Ferrada wants an inventory of all worksites and a rule that no street gets dug up more than once every five years. Sauvé wants to bring construction in-house with a new municipal team. Kacou is focused on better coordination and mapping all major sites before the year starts. Thibodeau wants underground parking and to restore the Lachine marina.

Bottom line: This is one of those issues where the promises sound good but the execution is what matters. Montrealers have heard this before.

How to Vote

When: Sunday, November 2, 2025. Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Advance voting: If November 2 doesn't work for you, you can vote in advance on Sunday, October 26 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., or at your borough's electoral office on October 24, 27, 28, and 29. If you're a cégep or university student, check if your school has a polling station—you can vote there on October 24, 27, 28, and 29 as well.

Where: Your assigned polling station. Check elections.montreal.ca to find your location.

What you need: One piece of ID that proves who you are. A health insurance card, driver's license, Certificate of Indian Status, Canadian Forces Identity Card, or passport all work.

Not registered? You need to be on the electoral list to vote. Check if you're registered at elections.montreal.ca or call 514-872-VOTE (8683). If you're not registered, you have until 6 p.m. on October 16 to get on the list. After that, you can't vote. You can register online at elections.montreal.ca or in person at a Board of Revision between October 11 and 16.

Who can vote? You need to be at least 18 years old on November 2, be a Canadian citizen, not be legally disqualified from voting, and either be domiciled in Montreal (and have lived in Quebec since at least May 2, 2025) or be the sole or co-owner of a building or sole or co-occupant of a business in Montreal since September 18, 2025.

Limited mobility? If you can't travel to vote due to health reasons, you can request home voting. You have until 6 p.m. on October 16 to make your request. Contact elections.montreal.ca or call 514-872-VOTE (8683).

What's on the ballot: You'll be voting for mayor of Montreal, your borough mayor (if your borough elects one separately), your city councillor, and your borough councillors. It's not complicated, but pay attention to what's actually on your ballot.

First-time voter? It's straightforward: Show up, bring ID, vote.