New wave of Quebec mayors is ready to push an agenda — and push back

Évelyne Beaudin says after becoming mayor of Sherbrooke, Que., she decided her office needed a revamp.

"It was men's furniture for a very tall person, that were mayors before me," the 35-year-old says while stretching her arms out wide to illustrate.

So she swapped the existing mayor's desk, which she found "impractical," for a more compact model with two computer screens on adjustable arms.

"Now I have a desk I can lift and I have a chair I can sit [in] and look like a normal person."

In 2021, Beaudin became the first female mayor in Sherbrooke's 169-year history, part of a youth wave that swept the city halls of five of Quebec's biggest municipalities.

Along with Beaudin, two other millennials — Catherine Fournier, 31, of Longueuil, and Stéphane Boyer, 35, of Laval — and two who are just slightly older — Bruno Marchand, 51, in Quebec City and France Bélisle, 45, in Gatineau — have all shown their willingness to take the lead on big social issues including housing, climate change and public transit.

Montreal was a bit ahead of the wave, electing Valérie Plante, now 49, in 2017 and re-electing her in 2021.

"It's like all of a sudden this new generation, new approach, came to power and really changed the landscape and the way municipal politics is done — or can be done," said La Presse columnist Yves Boisvert.

He notes that up until recently, those who led cities were mostly male, came from the business community or had been groomed by local chambers of commerce.

That's changed, said Boisvert.

"This new generation arrives with a more social approach, more progressive, and they see the role of a city or a town or a municipality in a very different way."

Boisvert says that in the past, mayors of mid-sized cities were more cautious in their dealings with those in power in Quebec City — because they depend on them for funding or approving projects.

Not this current group.

"They raise the issues, they oppose political decisions," said Boisvert.