Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

Rivière-des-Mille-Îles is a suburban riding on the north shore of Montreal, taking its name from the river channel that separates Île Jésus (Laval) from the mainland suburbs to the north. The riding encompasses the cities of Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Eustache, and Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac in the RCM of Deux-Montagnes, as well as the city of Boisbriand in the RCM of Thérèse-De Blainville. These communities experienced significant population growth through suburban sprawl, evolving from quiet outer-ring towns into densely settled commuter suburbs with their own commercial corridors and civic identities. French is the first language of the large majority of residents.

Candidates

Linda Lapointe (Liberal) — Born in Laval in 1960, Lapointe holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Université de Montréal and a college diploma in health sciences. She managed and then owned her father’s grocery store, Provigo Lapointe et Fille, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Association des détaillants en alimentation du Québec. She served as president of the Regroupement des gens d’affaires of Boisbriand from 2009 to 2015. First elected as MP for the riding in 2015, she lost her seat in 2019 and returned to reclaim it in 2025.

Luc Desilets (Bloc Québécois) — The incumbent MP since 2019, Desilets holds a master’s degree in psychoeducation from the Université de Montréal and graduate studies in school administration. He spent his career as a school administrator in the Seigneurie-des-Mille-Îles school board and is also the author of four novels and a commemorative book marking the 50th anniversary of Expo 67.

Elia Lopez (Conservative) — A first-generation Canadian who moved to Boisbriand as a young adult, Lopez worked full-time while putting herself through university. She has worked in aviation, the mining industry, and policy development, and has led lobbying efforts to promote policies aimed at protecting Canadian industries and preserving jobs.

Joseph Hakizimana (NDP) — Hakizimana carried the NDP banner in the riding, campaigning on workers’ rights, pharmacare, and affordable housing in Montreal’s suburban communities.

Alec Ware (Green Party) — Ware represented the Green Party of Canada in the riding, running on environmental sustainability and electoral reform.

David Santamaria Quiceno (People’s Party) — Santamaria Quiceno ran for the People’s Party of Canada on the party’s national platform of fiscal conservatism, reduced immigration, and smaller government.

About the Riding

The riding’s communities are primarily residential, with residents commuting to Montreal, Laval, or other suburban employment centres. Saint-Eustache, the largest city in the riding, retains a historic core dating to the 18th century and is the site of the Battle of Saint-Eustache during the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837. Deux-Montagnes sits at the western terminus of the former commuter rail line to Montreal, which was disrupted for years during the construction of the Réseau express métropolitain light-rail system.

Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac gained national attention in 2019 when a dike along the Rivière des Mille Îles breached during spring flooding, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and causing extensive property damage. Flood preparedness and federal disaster-relief funding remained sensitive issues heading into the 2025 campaign.

The 2025 race was closely contested between the Liberal and Bloc candidates, mirroring their alternation in the seat over recent elections. Cost of living, housing affordability, public transit reliability following the REM construction disruptions, and the adequacy of federal infrastructure investments in growing suburban communities dominated the campaign.