Valérie Plante facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Her Worship Valérie Plante
Plante in December 2022
45th Mayor of Montreal
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 November 2017
Preceded by	Denis Coderre
Leader of Projet Montréal
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 December 2016
Preceded by	Luc Ferrandez
Montreal City Councillor for Sainte-Marie
In office 2013–2017
Preceded by	Pierre Mainville
Succeeded by	Sophie Mauzerolle
Personal details
Born	(1974-06-14) 14 June 1974 (age 51) Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada
Political party	Projet Montréal
Residences	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Alma mater	Université de Montréal

Valérie Plante was born on June 14, 1974. She is a Canadian politician. Since 2017, she has been the Mayor of Montreal. This means she is the main leader of the city of Montreal.

She was first elected to the Montreal City Council in 2013. The City Council is a group of people who make decisions for the city. Valérie Plante became the leader of the Projet Montréal political party in December 2016.

Valérie Plante ran for mayor in the 2017 election. She won and became the 45th Mayor of Montreal. She is the first woman ever elected to this important role in Montreal's history.

Valérie Plante's Early Life and Learning

Valérie Plante was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. This was on June 14, 1974. As a teenager, she spent a year in North Bay, Ontario. She went there to learn English.

In 1994, she moved to Montreal for university. She studied anthropology and museology. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures. Museology is about how museums are run. She earned degrees in these subjects from the Université de Montréal.

After university, she worked for groups that help people. She was the communications director for the Girls Action Foundation. She also worked as a tour guide at Vimy Ridge in France during the 1990s.

Valérie Plante's Political Journey

Becoming a City Councillor

In 2013, Valérie Plante was elected as a city councillor. She represented the Sainte-Marie area of Montreal. A city councillor helps make decisions for a specific part of the city. She beat another experienced politician, Louise Harel.

After becoming a councillor, she focused on downtown Montreal. She also worked on tourism and women's issues. She was also made vice-president of the city council. This meant she could act as a substitute mayor for her area.

In 2016, Valérie Plante decided to run for leader of her party, Projet Montréal. She won the election with just over half the votes.

Running for Mayor in 2017

Valérie Plante became the Mayor of Montreal on November 5, 2017. She was the first woman to lead the city. Many people did not expect her to win. She was running against the mayor at the time, Denis Coderre.

Plante won because she promised to improve things for the city. She wanted to make public transportation better. She also wanted to fix traffic problems. Her goal was to make Montreal more friendly for families.

On election day, Valérie Plante received 51 percent of the votes. Her party, Projet Montréal, also won most of the seats on the city council. One of her big ideas was to create a new "Pink line" for the Montreal Metro. This new subway line would help people travel more easily.

Winning Again in 2021

Valérie Plante ran for mayor again in 2021. She won the election on November 7, 2021. She won by an even larger amount this time. She received 52 percent of the votes, while Denis Coderre got 37 percent.

Her party, Projet Montréal, also gained more seats on the city council. For this campaign, Plante promised to add 60,000 new social housing units. She also continued to focus on making urban life better for everyone.

On October 23, 2024, Valérie Plante announced something important. She said she will not run for a third term as mayor. Her current term will end in November 2025. She will continue to be mayor until then.

Valérie Plante's Family Life

Valérie Plante is married to Pierre-Antoine Harvey. He is an economist. They have two children together.

See Also

In Spanish: Valérie Plante para niños