Louis-Hebert

Louis-Hebert is a federal riding in the western portion of Quebec City, largely coextensive with the borough of Sainte-Foy--Sillery--Cap-Rouge. Named for Louis Hebert, one of the first French settlers to farm in New France, the riding encompasses Universite Laval's main campus, the Jean Lesage International Airport, and both bridges connecting Quebec City to the south shore of the St. Lawrence. With a population of roughly 110,000, it is a well-educated, upper-middle-class riding where nearly 10 percent of residents are immigrants, many from North Africa.

Candidates

Joel Lightbound (Liberal) -- A francophone born in Toronto who grew up in Sainte-Foy, Lightbound trained as a lawyer at McGill University before returning to Quebec City. First elected in 2015, he became the first Liberal to win the riding since 2000 and has held it through four consecutive elections. He drew national attention in February 2022 when he publicly criticized the Trudeau government's pandemic policies as divisive, resigning as Quebec caucus chair. Despite the break, he remained in the Liberal caucus and was re-elected in 2025.

Valerie Savard (Bloc Quebecois) -- Savard brings 25 years of experience in politics, including service as a cabinet director at Quebec's National Assembly. A committed sovereigntist and community volunteer, she campaigned on ending a decade of Liberal representation in the riding and advancing Bloc priorities on language protection and Quebec's fiscal autonomy.

Claude Dussault (Conservative) -- Dussault ran as the Conservative candidate in Louis-Hebert, carrying the party's platform of tax relief, housing construction, and economic growth.

Jean-Paul Lussiaa-Berdou (NDP) -- Lussiaa-Berdou represented the NDP in the riding, campaigning on pharmacare, affordable housing, and workers' rights.

Vatthana Maholy (People's Party - PPC) -- Maholy ran for the People's Party on a platform of reduced government intervention and lower immigration levels.

About the Riding

Sainte-Foy is one of Quebec City's most important economic and institutional hubs. Universite Laval, the oldest French-language university in the Americas, anchors the riding both as an employer and as a driver of the local knowledge economy, with research strengths in optics, biotechnology, and forestry science. The Jean Lesage International Airport handles millions of passengers annually and supports a cluster of aviation-related businesses. Place Laurier and Place Sainte-Foy are among the largest shopping centres in eastern Quebec.

The riding has a reputation as a political bellwether in the Quebec City region, having changed hands among Liberals, Conservatives, and the NDP since 2006. In 2025, the campaign centred on cost of living, housing affordability for students and young professionals near the university, healthcare wait times, and the economic impact of US tariffs on Quebec's trade corridors. Lightbound's unusual profile -- a Liberal who publicly challenged his own government on pandemic policy -- gave the race a distinctive character in a region where the Conservative Party traditionally dominates.