Bourassa

Bourassa encompasses the borough of Montréal-Nord and part of the Sault-au-Récollet neighbourhood in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, on the northeastern tip of the Island of Montreal. Named for former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa, the riding is one of the most ethnically diverse in Quebec, with a population of approximately 105,600. It is home to one of Canada's largest Haitian communities—about 20 percent of residents are of Haitian origin—along with significant North African, Latin American, and Italian populations. French is the dominant language, though Haitian Creole, Arabic, and Spanish are widely spoken.

Candidates

Abdelhaq Sari (Liberal) — A Montreal city councillor for the Marie-Clarac district in Montréal-Nord since 2017, Sari served with Ensemble Montréal and acted as the borough's deputy mayor in 2023. He is vice-chair of Montreal's Public Safety Commission and the official opposition's public security critic at city hall. Born in Morocco, he has focused his municipal career on housing, public safety, and services for new immigrants.

Jency Mercier (Bloc Québécois) — A municipal inspector pursuing studies in intervention in multicultural environments, Mercier campaigned as an independentist and community activist. She focused on defending the French language, affordable housing, and support for seniors and vulnerable populations.

Néhémie Dumay (Conservative) — Dumay carried the Conservative colours in Bourassa, running on the party's national platform of public safety, fiscal discipline, and immigration reform.

Catherine Gauvin (NDP) — Gauvin represented the NDP in the riding, campaigning on affordable housing, pharmacare, and workers' rights in a community where cost-of-living pressures are acute.

Jean-Marc Lamothe (People's Party) — Lamothe ran for the People's Party of Canada on its platform of reduced government spending and lower immigration levels.

Philippe Tessier (Independent) — Tessier ran as an independent candidate, offering voters an alternative outside the established party structures.

About the Riding

Bourassa has been a Liberal stronghold since 1997, when Denis Coderre first won the seat. Emmanuel Dubourg held it from a 2013 by-election until choosing not to seek re-election in 2025, setting up an open-seat contest that Sari won decisively. The riding's deep Liberal roots reflect the party's traditional strength in multicultural urban Montreal.

Montréal-Nord faces significant socioeconomic challenges, including higher poverty rates than the Montreal average, concerns about gun violence and public safety, and a shortage of affordable housing. The borough has been at the centre of debates over racial profiling and police-community relations. In 2025, federal issues centred on housing affordability in a community where many residents are tenants, immigration and settlement services for the riding's large newcomer population, public safety investments, and the cost of living for working-class families. The riding's diverse demographics make it a barometer for how federal parties engage with immigrant communities in Quebec.