Stephanie Valenzuela makes history as Montreal’s first Filipino Canadian borough mayor

Stephanie Valenzuela has made history as the first Filipino Canadian elected borough mayor in Montreal, following her victory in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN–NDG), one of the city’s most diverse districts.

A first-generation Filipino Canadian, Valenzuela grew up in Côte-des-Neiges and earned degrees in Political Science and International Development from McGill University. Her deep-rooted passion for community service began early, volunteering at local shelters and taking part in neighborhood initiatives such as annual flower distributions.

Valenzuela’s parents immigrated to Canada with limited family connections, finding belonging within Montreal’s Filipino community, an experience that shaped her enduring commitment to giving back.

After university, she spent time in Monterrey, Mexico, working with the NGO La Paz Comienza Con Los Niños (“Peace Begins with Children”), where she gained valuable experience in project management, fundraising, and public relations. Upon returning to Montreal, she continued her community engagement through the Côte-des-Neiges Black Community Association’s Strengthening Families Program and as communications director for the Filipino Heritage Society of Montreal.

In 2021, Valenzuela made history as the first Filipino Canadian city councillor in Montreal, representing Darlington in the same borough. Her latest win, under the Ensemble Montréal banner, cements her growing leadership and advocacy for inclusion, innovation, and investment in local communities.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Valenzuela thanked her campaign team, volunteers, and supporters for their dedication, especially those who knocked on doors and helped residents get to the polls. She also shared the personal challenges of campaigning while pregnant, crediting her partner, Dean, and their young daughter as her greatest motivation.

“I’m doing it for her and her generation,” she wrote. “To offer them, and those to follow, even more than we got growing up in CDN–NDG, a safer, fairer, cleaner community with opportunities for every family.”

Valenzuela concluded with optimism: “The work has just begun, and we’re more motivated than ever to deliver over the next four years.”

Representing a borough where around 75% of residents are immigrants and more than half of Montreal’s 40,000 Filipino population live, Valenzuela’s leadership marks a historic moment for representation and diversity in Canadian politics.