Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Civic Brief • Politician

Soraya Martinez Ferrada

Soraya Martinez Ferrada is a Canadian politician born in Santiago, Chile, who has served as mayor of Montreal and leader of Ensemble Montréal since 2025.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Soraya Martinez Ferrada is a Canadian politician who became mayor of Montreal in 2025, previously serving as a Liberal MP and federal cabinet minister.

What it is

Soraya Martinez Ferrada is a Canadian politician born in Santiago, Chile, in 1972. She came to Canada as a child and built a career spanning municipal and federal politics. She served as the Liberal MP for Hochelaga from 2019 to 2025 and was appointed Minister of Tourism and minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec in 2023. In 2025, she became mayor of Montreal and leader of Ensemble Montréal.

Key details

Martinez Ferrada was first elected as a Montreal city councillor in 2005. At the federal level, she served as a parliamentary secretary before joining cabinet. Her election as mayor in 2025 made her Montreal’s first mayor of Latin American descent. She leads Ensemble Montréal, the municipal party.

Why it matters

Martinez Ferrada’s rise from immigrant background to mayor of Canada’s second-largest city is a notable milestone in Canadian politics. Her career reflects a path from municipal to federal leadership, and her mayoral role shapes policy for Montreal, a key economic and cultural hub.

In short

  • Born in Chile, came to Canada as a child in 1980.
  • Served as Liberal MP for Hochelaga (2019–2025) and federal cabinet minister (2023–2025).
  • Became mayor of Montreal and leader of Ensemble Montréal in 2025.
  • First mayor of Montreal of Latin American descent.
Canadian angle

She is a prominent Montreal-based politician whose career spans municipal, federal, and mayoral leadership in Canada, and her background as a Chilean-born immigrant is part of her public profile.

Quick questions

Who is Soraya Martinez Ferrada?
She is a Canadian politician who became mayor of Montreal in 2025, previously serving as a Liberal MP and federal cabinet minister.
What political party is Soraya Martinez Ferrada in?
She is associated with the Liberal Party of Canada at the federal level and leads Ensemble Montréal at the municipal level.
Where is Soraya Martinez Ferrada from?
She was born in Santiago, Chile, and moved to Canada with her family as a child.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soraya_Martinez_Ferrada
    Supports: Birth date, birthplace, Canadian political roles, Liberal Party affiliation, and mayoral position.
  2. Liberal Party of Canada — https://liberal.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/292/2023/11/Soraya-Martinez-Ferrada-Terry-Duguid-Bios-EN.pdf
    Supports: Biography, immigration background, municipal and federal political career, and cabinet appointment.
  3. Ensemble Montréal — https://ensemblemtl.org/en/team/soraya-martinez-ferrada/
    Supports: Leadership role in Ensemble Montréal and Montreal political background.
  4. CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/soraya-martinez-ferrada-next-mayor-9.6963417
    Supports: Mayoral election, Chilean birth, arrival in Canada, and Montreal political significance.