Chicoutimi--Le Fjord

Situated in the heart of the Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean region, this riding takes in the northern portion of the Chicoutimi borough of the city of Saguenay, the entire La Baie borough, and the small municipalities that line the southern shore of the Saguenay Fjord -- one of the longest navigable fjords in the world. The dramatic landscape of granite cliffs, boreal forest, and deep tidal waters defines the riding's identity, while the urban core of Chicoutimi provides commercial and institutional services to the broader region.

Candidates

Richard Martel (Conservative) -- Born in Chicoutimi in 1961, Martel holds two bachelor's degrees from the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi and spent his early career teaching at the secondary level before turning to hockey coaching. He spent more than two decades coaching in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, most notably with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens from 2003 to 2011, and set a league record with 570 career victories. He won the Ron Lapointe Trophy as QMJHL coach of the year twice. After coaching stints in Sweden and France, he returned to Quebec and was first elected to the House of Commons in a June 2018 by-election. He was re-elected in 2019, 2021, and 2025.

Marc St-Hilaire (Bloc Quebecois) -- The former general director of the Le Quotidien newspaper cooperative in Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean, St-Hilaire built a 22-year career in the media industry, serving as journalist, news chief, director of information, and ultimately the cooperative's top executive. He joined the Bloc Quebecois in 2024, stating his intention to block the Conservatives and serve as a watchdog for the region's interests, with priorities including the aluminum and forestry sectors and agricultural protections.

Stephane Proulx (Liberal) -- Originally from Montreal, Proulx has lived in the Saguenay region for 25 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in actuarial science and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. After working in private and public insurance companies, he held management positions in the public health department of the CIUSSS du Saguenay--Lac-Saint-Jean. He ran on cost-of-living concerns and the quality of federal services.

Raphael Emond (NDP) -- The NDP candidate in the riding, Emond campaigned on expanding public healthcare, building affordable housing, and implementing national pharmacare.

Yves Laporte (Green Party) -- The Green Party's nominee, Laporte focused on environmental sustainability and responsible resource management in a region shaped by hydroelectric development and forestry.

Francois Sabourin (People's Party) -- Running for the People's Party, Sabourin advocated for fiscal restraint, reduced immigration, and opposition to carbon pricing.

About the Riding

Chicoutimi--Le Fjord has a population of approximately 100,000 and is overwhelmingly francophone, with over 98 per cent of residents speaking French as a mother tongue. The riding's economy is anchored by the aluminum industry -- Saguenay is one of the world's great aluminum-producing centres, with Rio Tinto operating major smelting facilities that have defined the region since the 1920s. The Quebec Centre for Research and Development of Aluminum, the Centre for Aluminum Technology at UQAC, and the University Centre for Aluminium Research cluster around the regional university, making Chicoutimi a global hub for aluminum innovation.

Beyond aluminum, the economy relies on forestry and wood products, tourism -- the Saguenay Fjord national park and the Musee du Fjord are significant draws -- and the public sector, including the regional health authority and the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi. In 2025, the campaign focused on the threat of U.S. tariffs to the aluminum sector, forestry industry protections, cost-of-living pressures, healthcare access and doctor shortages, and housing affordability in a region that has seen rising rents despite its distance from major metropolitan centres. The Bloc Quebecois mounted a serious challenge, hoping to reclaim a seat they last held in 2008, but Martel's deep local roots and name recognition from his hockey career carried him to a fourth consecutive victory.