Jonquière

Jonquière is a federal riding in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, roughly 220 kilometres north of Quebec City. The riding is centred on the Jonquière borough of the city of Saguenay, situated at the confluence of the Rivière Saguenay and the Rivière aux Sables. The district also takes in surrounding communities formed through the 2002 municipal amalgamation that created the city of Saguenay, including the former municipalities of Shipshaw and Lac-Kénogami. With a population of approximately 88,000 and an almost entirely francophone character, Jonquière is defined by its resource-based economy and its deep ties to the aluminum and forestry industries.

Candidates

Mario Simard (Bloc Québécois) is the incumbent, first elected in 2019 and seeking a third term. He serves as the Bloc's spokesperson on Natural Resources and as vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources. He has been a vocal advocate for the forestry and aluminum sectors, calling for federal emergency plans to support the forestry industry amid US tariff disputes and championing a regional Bloc platform for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

Fanny Boulanger (Conservative) is a native of Saguenay who built her career in Conservative political operations. She worked as a constituency assistant for Conservative MP Richard Martel in Chicoutimi–Le Fjord before moving to Ottawa as a parliamentary assistant and communications manager, and most recently served in Pierre Poilievre's office handling parliamentary affairs.

William Van Tassel (Liberal) carried the Liberal banner in this traditionally challenging riding for the party.

Lise Garon (NDP) is a retired professor from Université Laval who previously served as mayor of Lamarche from 2017 to 2021.

Patrick Gaudreault (People's Party) represented the People's Party of Canada.

Marie-Josée Yelle (Green Party) ran for the Green Party of Canada.

About the Riding

Aluminum production has shaped Jonquière's identity for a century. The construction of the Arvida smelter in 1925 by Alcoa, powered by the Shipshaw hydroelectric complex on the Saguenay River, transformed the area into a global aluminum-production centre. By the Second World War, Arvida was the world's largest aluminum producer. Today, Rio Tinto Alcan maintains major smelting operations in the region, and the aluminum industry remains a cornerstone employer.

Forestry is the riding's other economic pillar, though the sector has faced severe headwinds. US softwood lumber duties, declining demand, and mill closures have reduced employment, and the threat of additional tariffs in 2025 raised fears of further contraction. Mario Simard's advocacy for a federal emergency plan for the forestry industry reflected the urgency felt by workers and communities across the Saguenay.

The 2025 campaign centred on the future of the riding's resource industries, with the aluminum and forestry sectors both exposed to US trade actions. Population decline and youth out-migration remain structural challenges for the region, straining healthcare services and school enrolments. The cost of living, while lower than in Montreal or Quebec City, has risen notably in recent years, particularly for food and energy. Simard's emphasis on a customized regional economic platform—addressing forestry, aluminum, and agri-food—resonated in a riding where federal policy toward resource industries carries immediate personal consequences.