# Soraya Martinez Ferrada

Soraya Martínez Ferrada PC MP (born August 28, 1972) is a Chilean-Canadian politician who was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of Canada to represent the federal riding Hochelaga during the 2019 Canadian federal election. She served as Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec from 2023 to 2025, when she resigned to run for the leadership of Ensemble Montréal ahead of the 2025 Montreal municipal election.

## Early life

Martínez Ferrada was born on August 28, 1972 in Santiago de Chile, Santiago (historical province) [es], Chile, to Omar Martínez Prieto and Maritza Inés Ferrada Videla.

## Career

Prior to her election in the House of Commons, she served as a city councillor for the Montreal City Council in the municipal electoral district of Saint-Michel as a member first of Union Montréal (2005 to 2007) and then of Vision Montreal from 2007 to 2009, when she lost to Union Montreal candidate (now Quebec Liberal Party MNA for Viau), Frantz Benjamin.
She worked as a Parliament Hill staffer. She gained her seat from the New Democratic Party, by a tight margin over the Bloc Québécois. When Martinez Ferrada was first elected in 2019, it was the first time the riding had been won by a Liberal since Jean-Claude Malépart had won it in 1988. The riding had been held by the New Democrat Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet since 2011, but Catheryn Roy-Goyette, representing the NDP, failed in 2019 and 2021 to retain the seat for that party.
After her election to Parliament, Martínez Ferrada was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marco Mendicino. In 2023, she was appointed Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.
On February 6, 2025, Martínez Ferrada announced she would stand down at the 2025 Canadian federal election. She resigned from the cabinet and as the Liberal Party national campaign co-chair to seek the leadership of the municipal party Ensemble Montréal, which if successful, would result in her running for mayor in the 2025 Montreal municipal election. She was succeeded in her portfolios by heritage minister Pascale St-Onge. She was elected leader by acclamation on February 28.

## Personal life

Martínez Ferrada moved to Canada in 1980, and lived in the East End of Montreal.

## Electoral record

vte2021 Canadian federal election: Hochelaga :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Soraya Martínez Ferrada | 18,197 | 38.14 | +4.19 | $93,080.02 |
| | Bloc Québécois | Simon Marchand | 15,089 | 31.63 | -1.71 | $47,805.08 |
| | New Democratic | Catheryn Roy-Goyette | 9,723 | 20.38 | -0.91 | $36,496.68 |
| | Conservative | Aime Calle Cabrera | 2,221 | 4.66 | +0.17 | none listed |
| | People's | Marc-André Doucet-Beauchamp | 1,081 | 2.27 | +1.56 | $0.00 |
| | Green | Zachary Lavarenne | 965 | 2.02 | -2.92 | $0.00 |
| | Rhinoceros | Alan Smithee | 238 | 0.50 | -0.09 | none listed |
| | Communist | Michelle Paquette | 108 | 0.22 | +0.03 | $0.00 |
| | Marxist–Leninist | Christine Dandenault | 82 | 0.17 | -0.03 | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 47,706 | – | – | $110,275.75 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 867 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 61.63 | -5.17 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 78,814 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +2.96 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Hochelaga :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Soraya Martínez Ferrada | 18,008 | 33.95 | +4.03 | $79,299.74 |
| | Bloc Québécois | Simon Marchand | 17,680 | 33.34 | +5.61 | none listed |
| | New Democratic | Catheryn Roy-Goyette | 11,451 | 21.59 | -9.30 | $44,334.97 |
| | Green | Robert D. Morais | 2,618 | 4.94 | +1.75 | none listed |
| | Conservative | Christine Marcoux | 2,381 | 4.49 | -2.36 | $4,785.89 |
| | People's | Stepan Balatsko | 377 | 0.71 | – | none listed |
| | Rhinoceros | Chinook Blais-Leduc | 314 | 0.59 | -0.20 | none listed |
| | Marxist–Leninist | Christine Dandenault | 107 | 0.20 | -0.08 | none listed |
| | Communist | JP Fortin | 107 | 0.19 | -0.15 | $865.68 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 53,037 | 98.32 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 907 | 1.68 | +0.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,944 | 65.09 | +1.56 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 82,881 |
| | Liberal gain from New Democratic | Liberal gain from New Democratic | Swing | Swing | +6.66 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||