Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

Rivière-des-Mille-Îles is a suburban federal riding on Montreal's north shore, named for the river that separates Île Jésus (the city of Laval) from the mainland communities to the north. The riding comprises the cities of Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes, and Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac in the Regional County Municipality of Deux-Montagnes, along with the city of Boisbriand in the Regional County Municipality of Thérèse-De Blainville. These are residential communities that grew rapidly in the postwar era as automobile-dependent commuter suburbs of Montreal. Saint-Eustache, the largest municipality in the riding with a population of approximately 45,000, is located about 35 kilometres northwest of downtown Montreal.

Candidates

Luc Desilets (Bloc Québécois) — A psychoeducator by training, Desilets holds a master's degree in psychoeducation from the Université de Montréal. He served as director of several schools within the Commission scolaire de la Seigneurie-des-Mille-Îles before entering politics. He is also a published author, nominated for several Quebec literary awards including the Prix d'excellence en français Gaston-Miron and the Grand Prix de la Relève Littéraire Archambault. First elected in 2019, he was re-elected in 2021 and served as the Bloc's critic for veterans affairs.

Linda Lapointe (Liberal) — A businesswoman and former politician, Lapointe holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Université de Montréal. She previously served as an Action démocratique du Québec MNA for Groulx from 2007 to 2008. She won the riding for the Liberals in 2015 but lost it to Desilets in the 2019 Bloc resurgence and sought to reclaim it in 2021.

Marc Duffy-Vincelette (Conservative) — Duffy-Vincelette represented the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding.

Joseph Hakizimana (NDP) — Hakizimana carried the NDP banner in the contest.

Alec Ware (Green) — Ware represented the Green Party of Canada.

Hans Roker Jr (PPC) — Roker ran for the People's Party of Canada.

About the Riding

The communities of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles are archetypal Montreal-area commuter suburbs—largely francophone, middle-class, and family-oriented. Saint-Eustache, the riding's largest municipality, has deep historical roots as the site of the 1837 Battle of Saint-Eustache during the Lower Canada Rebellion, one of the defining events of Quebec's patriotic history. Today, the town blends its heritage character with modern suburban development, commercial parks, and light industrial zones.

Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac drew national attention in April 2019 when a natural dike along the Rivière des Mille Îles breached, forcing the emergency evacuation of approximately 6,000 residents and causing widespread flooding. The disaster underscored the vulnerability of low-lying residential areas to extreme weather events and brought flood zone management to the forefront of local politics.

Transportation is a dominant concern for commuters. The riding is served by the exo commuter bus network, and the Deux-Montagnes commuter rail line—one of the oldest in the Montreal area—was slated for integration into the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light metro system. The protracted construction timeline and service disruptions during the transition period generated significant frustration among residents dependent on rail transit to reach downtown Montreal. Access to health care, education funding, and seniors' services round out the riding's core policy concerns.