Pierre Bourque (politician)

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Pierre Bourque (born May 29, 1942) was the mayor of Montreal, Quebec from 1994 to 2001. He subsequently attempted to enter provincial politics, running as an Action démocratique du Québec candidate in the 2003 Quebec election, but was defeated. He then returned to municipal politics, but was unable to win re-election as mayor.

Having previously been director of the Montreal Botanical Gardens from 1980 to 1994, Bourque proved eccentric and sometimes controversial as mayor Known as a greenspace aficionado, he supported the creation of parks, implemented tree-planting initiatives, as well as creating Eco-Centres (reusable materials) and Eco-Quartier program (recycling). He was also responsible for the revitalization of many important districts of Montreal (Ste-Catherine Street, Old-Montreal and the Multimedia City) as well as the reopening of the Lachine Canal.

In 1998, responding to critics who denounced him for not fighting poverty, he spent the night with a working-class family. He was also well-known for his close ties to cultural communities.

Bourque's successful attempt at merging all of Montreal’s 28 municipalities into a megacity of 1.8 million people and 27 boroughs cost him the election in 2001.

Bourque lost for a second time to incumbent-mayor Gerald Tremblay in his fight to regain control of city hall in the Montreal municipal elections held on November 6, 2005, this time by a 74,646 vote margin. The voter turnout was estimated at 39.13%, the lowest ever in the history of Montreal municipal elections. (See Quebec municipal elections, 2005).

On May 3, 2006, Bourque stepped down as Leader of the Opposition on Montreal's city council.

In 1993, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec.