# Éric Ferland

Éric Ferland is a politician and organizer in the Canadian province of Quebec. He was the leader of the Green Party of Quebec from 1994 to 1996 and has sought election to the House of Commons of Canada. He is also a prominent organizer of the Projet Ecosphere event in southeastern Quebec. Since 2012, the most important environmental fair is being held in Montreal and the first Quebec City edition was held in May 2016.

## Political career

Ferland became the leader of the Green Party of Quebec in 1994, following that year's provincial election. The party was in a weakened state in this period, after former leader Jean Ouimet and several top organizers left to join the Parti Québécois. Ferland held the party leadership for two years before standing down. He did not seek election to the National Assembly of Quebec in this period, although he ran as a Green Party of Canada candidate in a 1995 by-election in Brome—Missisquoi.
Ferland later served as a town councillor in Frelighsburg, Quebec on at least three occasions. He stood down from council in 2002, but was returned in 2005 and served another term. He did not run for re-election in 2009.
In 2019, he joined New Democratic Party to run against former NDP member Pierre Nantel who defected to Greens.

## Organizer

In 2006, Ferland was a prominent organizer of the first Projet Ecosphere, an autumn environmental fair in Brome devoted to environment and sustainability. One hundred and thirty exhibitors were featured. The second fair, held the following year, featured 170 exhibits and was attended by over seven thousand people.

## Electoral record
### Federal

vte2019 Canadian federal election: Longueuil—Saint-Hubert :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Bloc Québécois | Denis Trudel | 23,061 | 38.5 | +11.23 | $46,039.85 |
| | Liberal | Réjean Hébert | 20,471 | 34.2 | +4.19 | $77,307.46 |
| | Green | Pierre Nantel | 6,745 | 11.3 | +8.81 | $16,474.78 |
| | New Democratic | Éric Ferland | 5,104 | 8.5 | –22.72 | $11,119.46 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Clune | 3,779 | 6.3 | –2.44 | none listed |
| | People's | Ellen Comeau | 467 | 0.8 | – | $0.00 |
| | Independent | Pierre-Luc Fillon | 217 | 0.4 | – | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 59,844 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 1,086 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,930 | 69.9 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 87,113 |
| | Bloc Québécois gain from New Democratic | Bloc Québécois gain from New Democratic | Swing | Swing | +3.52 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vteCanadian federal by-election, February 13, 1995: Brome—Missisquoi :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Denis Paradis | 19,078 | 51.02 | +14.36 | $54,562 |
| | Bloc Québécois | Jean-François Bertrand | 15,764 | 42.16 | +1.40 | $53,734 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Guy Lever | 1,235 | 3.30 | −13.85 | $36,225a |
| | Reform | Line Maheux | 517 | 1.38 | | $21,755 |
| | New Democratic Party | Paul Vachon | 371 | 0.99 | −0.27 | $9,325 |
| | Christian Heritage | Jean Blaquière | 126 | 0.34 | | $2,321 |
| | Non-Affiliated | Yvon V. Boulanger | 107 | 0.29 | | $3,816 |
| | Green | Éric Ferland | 101 | 0.27 | | $412 |
| | Natural Law | Michel Champagne | 77 | 0.21 | −1.08 | $6,538 |
| | Abolitionist | John H. Long | 15 | 0.04 | −1.61 | $1,219 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 37,391 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 288 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 37,679 | 64.32 | −12.32 |
| Electors on the lists | Electors on the lists | Electors on the lists | 58,579 |
| a- Does not include unpaid claims. |||||||

### Municipal (incomplete)

vte2005 Frelighsburg municipal election: Councillor, Ward Two :
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Éric Ferland | acclaimed | . |
Source for 2005 municipal elections: Official results from the Government of Quebec