Denis Coderre (French pronunciation: [dəni kɔdɛʁ]; born July 25, 1963) is a Canadian politician who served as the 44th mayor of Montreal from 2013 to 2017.
Coderre was involved in federal politics as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, serving as the member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Bourassa from 1997 until 2013 and Immigration Minister from 2002 to 2003. Taking office as mayor of Montreal in 2013, he saw his reelection bid defeated in 2017 by Valérie Plante. In 2021, he lost again to Plante.
As mayor, Coderre unveiled the Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM) project in 2016 alongside Michael Sabia, then CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).
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Background
Born in Joliette, Quebec, Coderre is the son of Elphege Coderre, a carpenter, and Lucie Baillargeon. The family moved to Montréal-Nord in 1973, where Coderre attended École Secondaire Henri-Bourassa and Cégep Marie-Victorin. He has a BA in political science from the Université de Montréal and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Ottawa.
Federal politics
Unsuccessful Liberal candidate
Coderre ran unsuccessfully three times prior to being elected: first, in the 1988 election in the riding of Joliette, losing to the Progressive Conservative candidate, Gaby Larrivée; second, in a 1990 by-election in the riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie, losing to Gilles Duceppe; and third, in the 1993 elections in the riding of Bourassa, defeated by the Bloc Québécois candidate, Osvaldo Núñez.
Member of Parliament
Coderre was elected as a member of Parliament in 1997 representing the riding of Bourassa, located in Montreal, and was re-elected in the 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2011 federal elections. In August 1999 he was appointed secretary of state for amateur sport.
In January 2002, he was appointed immigration minister.
On December 12, 2003, prime minister Paul Martin advised governor general Adrienne Clarkson to appoint Coderre to the Cabinet as president of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada where he was responsible for a number of files, such as the creation of the new Public Service Human Resources Management Agency. He was also the federal interlocutor for Métis and non-status Indians, the minister responsible for La Francophonie and the minister responsible for the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution. Coderre was not re-appointed to Cabinet following the 2004 general election, despite being re-elected in his riding.
As minister of immigration, Coderre supervised the application of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which came into effect on June 28, 2002. As secretary of state for amateur sport, Coderre successfully negotiated a number of national and international agreements and helped to establish the World Anti-Doping Agency in Montreal.
Adil Charkaoui
As minister of immigration, Coderre was responsible for the detention of Adil Charkaoui, a Moroccan immigrant with a checkered travel history, on a security certificate. Restrictions on Charkaoui's conditional release were gradually lifted, and were cancelled in September 2009, on his final release order by Federal Court judge Danièle Tremblay-Lamer.
During the events of the sponsorship scandal, Coderre was accused of frequent confidential conversations with Pierre Tremblay, head of the Communications Coordination Services Branch of Public Works. Coderre has denied these allegations. His previous position as vice-president of public affairs for Le Groupe Polygone Éditeurs Inc. was judged to be a key connecting factor.
Close links to Claude Boulay of Groupe Everest, another actor in the sponsorship scandal, were also made during the Gomery Inquiry.
Mayoralty
2013 election
Coderre resigned on June 2, 2013 to run for mayor of Montreal in the 2013 Montreal municipal election. He formed the Montreal municipal party Équipe Denis Coderre pour Montréal (alternatively Équipe Denis Coderre) though he had no previous provincial or municipal experience. Coderre was elected mayor of Montreal on November 3, 2013.
2017 election
Coderre ran for re-election in the 2017 Montreal municipal election on November 5, 2017. In a surprise, Coderre lost the mayoral race to Valérie Plante, making her the first female elected Mayor for the city of Montréal. After the election loss, he announced that he would be retiring from politics.
Tenure
On January 31, 2015, the Coderre administration denied a request to open an Islamic community centre in the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood of Montreal because its imam Hamza Chaoui, had allegedly preached that Canadians ought to change their legal system to sharia. Chaoui filed a lawsuit on July 9 for defamation against Coderre and the city of Montreal. Chaoui characterised Coderre's remarks as an attack on his dignity, honour and reputation. Réal Ménard, the borough mayor of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, supported Coderre's position.
In August 2015, Coderre took a jackhammer to a Canada Post community mailbox foundation in l'Anse-à-l'Orme Nature Park. He was dismissive of concerns that his action was illegal. The Province of Quebec's Crown prosecutors office confirmed that Coderre would not face charges for the media stunt.
From October 18, 2015, until October 25, 2015, Coderre authorized the dumping for 8 billion litres of untreated sewage into the Saint Lawrence River to facilitate repairs to Montreal's sewer system. The incident was widely criticized by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Infrastructure Canada, and a petition of over 55,000 signatures.
On January 21, 2016, Coderre, along with other officials of the Montreal Metropolitan Community (Communauté Métropolitaine de Montréal), formally opposed the Energy East pipeline project based on environmental concerns. His position was denounced by Conservative Party of Canada interim leader Rona Ambrose, Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall and Alberta Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean. In 2016, he announced the Réseau express métropolitain.
On September 27, 2016, Montreal passed a citywide pit bull ban. Coderre was an advocate for the bylaw, stating that "my duty as mayor of Montreal is making sure I am working for all Montrealers, and I am there to make sure they feel safe and that they are safe." The bylaw creates a citywide ban on new pit bull-type dogs from being owned and added restrictions on those currently in the city. The bylaw also places new restrictions on all dogs and cats within the city and its 19 boroughs. Animal protection groups such as the Montreal SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) stated that if the new bylaw passed they would take legal action against the city.
Post-mayoral career
Coderre was an administrator of Eurostar from 2018 to 2021, as well as a special advisor for the FIA since 2019.
After much speculation, Coderre had announced his intention to run for mayor of Montreal in the 2021 Montreal municipal election. On April 7, 2021 he became leader of the municipal party Ensemble Montréal, which was formerly called Équipe Denis Coderre. On November 7, 2021, he was defeated once again by Valérie Plante. After the election loss, he announced once again that he would be retiring from politics.
In April 2023, Coderre suffered a mild stroke.
Coderre was a candidate in the 2025 Quebec Liberal Party leadership election. He was disqualified by the party's Electoral Committee on February 7, 2025. While no reason for the move was issued publicly, the action followed reports that Coderre owed more than $130,000 in provincial taxes and more than $266,000 to the Canada Revenue Agency.
In May 2025, Coderre endorsed Conservative Party of Quebec leader Éric Duhaime in his by-election bid in Arthabaska.
In July 2025, Coderre announced that he was "turning the page" on politics and took a role with Résidences Soleil.
In 2026 Coderre was named president of the Montréal Toundra of the Basketball Super League
