Marie Plourde

Having a child changes the way you see a city—even when you’ve studied urban planning. It was while walking through the Plateau with her daughter that Marie Plourde began to view issues of safety, greening, and access to public spaces in a new light. A well-known communicator and engaged citizen, she decided it was time to take action. In 2013, she was elected borough councillor for the Mile End district, determined to make a difference in the place she calls home.

From the very start of her mandate, Marie made heritage preservation and transparency in public decision-making her top priorities. As chair of the Urban Planning Advisory Committee, she helped democratize local planning and make regulations more understandable and accessible. She played a key role in protecting the Théâtre du Rideau Vert’s creative center, threatened with demolition, ensuring that its reconstruction respected its century-old architecture. She also worked to strengthen relationships between merchants and elected officials, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual respect.

Appreciated for her attentiveness, rigor, and touch of irreverence, Marie has devoted herself to major projects shaping the Mile End. She closely follows the redevelopment of the rail corridor area—a rapidly transforming sector with immense potential. She is also a strong advocate for preserving social diversity on the Plateau, taking a firm stand against renovictions and real estate speculation. For her, the neighborhood’s living heritage is its residents: those who built it must be able to stay and grow old there with dignity.

As chair of Montréal’s Planning and Development Commission, Marie continues to champion a city where culture, social justice, and a deep connection to place are part of daily life.