Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke is a federal electoral district encompassing most of the city of Sherbrooke, the primary economic, political, and cultural centre of Quebec's Estrie region. With a population of roughly 115,000, Sherbrooke is a university city with the highest concentration of students per capita in Quebec—more than 10 students per 100 inhabitants across eight post-secondary institutions that educate 40,000 students and employ 11,000 people. The riding's demographics include a significant francophone majority alongside growing immigrant communities, particularly Arabic-speaking and Latin American residents.

Candidates

Élisabeth Brière (Liberal) — Born in Quebec City, Brière completed a bachelor of laws at the Université de Sherbrooke, a diploma in notarial law in 1991, and a certificate in business administration in 1993. She worked as a notary for nearly 30 years, most recently as a partner at the firm Monty Sylvestre, focusing on human rights, real estate, and mediation. She also lectured at the Université de Sherbrooke and served as president of Maison Aube-Lumière, a palliative care residence. First elected in 2019, she served as Minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency from late 2024 into 2025.

Pierre-Étienne Rouillard (Bloc Québécois) — A professional actor who works in music, theatre, and dubbing, Rouillard is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. Originally from the Estrie region, he entered politics primarily to defend the French language and to advocate for the cultural sector, arguing that artists deserve a social safety net and legal protections against the impact of artificial intelligence on creative work.

Esteban Méndez-Hord (Conservative) — Méndez-Hord ran as the Conservative candidate in Sherbrooke, representing the party's national platform on fiscal responsibility and affordability.

Jean-Pierre Fortier (NDP) — Fortier carried the NDP banner in the riding, campaigning on housing affordability, workers' rights, and expanded public services.

Kevin McKenna (Green Party) — McKenna represented the Green Party of Canada, emphasizing environmental sustainability and green economic transition in the Estrie region.

Alexandre Lépine (People's Party) — Lépine ran for the People's Party of Canada on the PPC's platform of reduced government spending and lower immigration levels.

About the Riding

Sherbrooke's identity is deeply shaped by its educational institutions. The Université de Sherbrooke, Bishop's University, and the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke together form the backbone of the local economy, driving research, healthcare delivery, and a vibrant student-fuelled commercial life. The city has positioned itself as a hub for clean technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing, building on the knowledge economy centred around its universities.

Historically known as the Queen of the Eastern Townships, Sherbrooke sits at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers. The city's cultural scene includes theatres, galleries, and festivals that benefit from the large student population, and the surrounding Estrie countryside—with its rolling hills, vineyards, and ski resorts—contributes to a quality of life that has attracted new residents from Montreal and beyond.

In 2025, the riding's federal campaign centred on housing affordability—a growing concern as the student population and new arrivals have strained the rental market—healthcare workforce shortages, the impact of US tariffs on local manufacturing, and the protection of the French language. The cultural sector's concerns about artificial intelligence and federal support for the arts also figured in the debate, particularly through the Bloc candidate's advocacy on these issues. Brière's comfortable margin of victory reflected the Liberal Party's strong position in the Estrie region under Mark Carney's leadership.