Chicoutimi—Le Fjord

Anchored in the city of Saguenay approximately 200 kilometres north of Quebec City, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord spans the northern portion of the Chicoutimi borough, the full La Baie borough, and a chain of small municipalities — L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Petit-Saguenay, Rivière-Éternité, Ferland-et-Boilleau, and Saint-Félix-d'Otis — that line the walls of the Saguenay Fjord. The population of roughly 82,000 is heavily francophone and centred in the urban core, while the surrounding countryside is characterized by boreal forest, dramatic fjord cliffs, and the waters of the Saguenay River.

Candidates

Richard Martel (Conservative) — Born and raised in Chicoutimi, Martel holds two bachelor's degrees from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and worked in secondary education before launching a professional hockey coaching career. He spent nearly two decades as a head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, twice winning the Ron Lapointe Trophy as QMJHL coach of the year and setting a league record with his 570th career victory in 2010. He coached the Chicoutimi Saguenéens from 2003 to 2010, then worked in Sweden and France before returning to the region as head coach and general manager of the Jonquière Marquis senior team. He entered federal politics by winning a June 2018 by-election in this riding.

Valérie Tremblay (Bloc Québécois) — Trained in business administration, Tremblay worked as a secondary-school mathematics teacher. A longtime Bloc activist, she served as the party's regional president and as treasurer at the national bureau. She campaigned on placing innovation at the centre of regional economic development.

Dajana Dautovic (Liberal) — Dautovic was the Liberal Party of Canada candidate in the riding.

Stéphane Girard (NDP) — Girard represented the New Democratic Party.

Lynda Youde (Green Party) — Youde was the Green Party candidate, active in local environmental advocacy including opposition to a proposed natural gas liquefaction plant in the region.

Jimmy Voyer ran for the People's Party of Canada and Line Bélanger ran for the Rhinoceros Party.

About the Riding

The Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region's industrial identity has been defined for generations by aluminum production. Hydroelectric dams on the Saguenay River system power smelters operated by Rio Tinto, whose local operations rank among the company's largest globally and represent the area's dominant private employer. The La Baie borough sits at the head of Ha! Ha! Bay, an arm of the Saguenay, and was severely affected by the catastrophic Saguenay flood of 1996. The Saguenay Fjord itself — a glacially carved valley with cliffs rising several hundred metres above the river — is protected as a national park and draws outdoor enthusiasts and cruise passengers. Forestry remains a significant employer in surrounding municipalities, though the sector has faced contraction. Higher-than-average unemployment and reliance on seasonal work make employment insurance rules a perennial federal concern. During the campaign, the future of aluminum-sector jobs, proposed energy and industrial projects in the region, and federal investment in transportation infrastructure were key issues.