Verdun voters weigh housing, homelessness as three candidates make election pitch

Verdun voters are weighing housing, homelessness, and the cost of living as three candidates make their pitches ahead of Quebec's Oct. 5 provincial election in the Montreal riding.

Alejandra Zaga Mendez, the Québec Solidaire incumbent who won the seat in 2022 by fewer than 500 votes, is seeking another mandate. "For the past four years I've been doing a lot of work with citizens and groups on the ground," she said. Zaga Mendez cited rising rents as making it difficult for some Verdun residents to remain in their homes and said she has worked with community groups supporting people experiencing homelessness. She noted that many homeless support resources currently available are already full.

Antoine Dionne Charest, the Liberal candidate and son of former premier Jean Charest, has identified affordable and social housing as his priority. He called for both temporary and permanent housing to address homelessness and said a rent freeze alone would not solve the problem. "I want to get results for Verdun," he said.

Roseline Olory, running for the CAQ, identified affordable housing as a key concern. "I'm not a traditional politician. I don't have that profile. I'm a scientist and a researcher, and for me, concrete results are something that is important," she said. She said she wants to continue working with municipalities to find concrete solutions to homelessness.

Verdun has been represented by Liberals consistently since the riding was created in 1966 until Zaga Mendez's narrow 2022 victory flipped the seat to Québec Solidaire. Residents have told candidates they want help with commercial space availability—one business owner said finding affordable commercial real estate took one and a half years—and improvements to children's parks to ensure they are safe.