Hochelaga

Hochelaga is a federal riding in east-end Montreal covering the working-class neighbourhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and surrounding areas. The by-election was called after Réal Ménard, the Bloc Québécois MP who had held the seat since 1993, resigned effective September 16, 2009, to run as a Vision Montreal candidate for borough mayor of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in the 2009 Montreal municipal election.

Candidates

Daniel Paillé (Bloc Québécois) — Paillé was a former Quebec provincial cabinet minister who had served as Minister of Industry, Trade, Science and Technology in the Jacques Parizeau government from 1994 to 1996. He held a bachelor's degree in business administration from HEC Montréal and a master's degree in economics from UQAM, and had worked as an economist and director general at Quebec's Finance Ministry through the 1980s.

Jean-Claude Rocheleau (NDP) — Rocheleau ran as the NDP candidate in the by-election. He went on to become Associate President of NDP-Québec following the campaign.

Robert David (Liberal) — David carried the Liberal Party banner in this traditionally sovereigntist riding.

Stéphanie Cloutier (Conservative) — Cloutier represented the Conservative Party in the by-election.

Christine Lebel (Green Party) — Lebel ran for the Green Party.

Other candidates included Gabrielle Anctil (Rhinoceros Party), Christine Dandenault (Marxist-Leninist), and John Turmel (Independent).

About the Riding

Hochelaga covers the eastern portion of the Island of Montreal, including the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood south of Sherbrooke Street and east of downtown. The area is home to the Olympic Stadium complex built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, the Montreal Botanical Garden, and Maisonneuve Park. The riding sits along the St. Lawrence River waterfront and includes portions of the Port of Montreal's eastern facilities.

Historically a working-class francophone neighbourhood, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve developed as an industrial district in the late 19th century. By 2009, the area had a poverty rate approaching 19 percent and had long struggled with unemployment, though early signs of gentrification were emerging. The population is predominantly francophone, and the riding has been a stronghold of sovereigntist parties at the federal level since the Bloc Québécois's founding.

The neighbourhood's economic base had shifted from heavy manufacturing to a mix of service-sector employment, health care, and cultural institutions. The Olympic Park complex and surrounding institutions, along with local hospitals and educational facilities, are significant employers in the area.