New Montreal North mayor pledges to fight 'social exclusion'

Christine Black, who was elected mayor of Montreal North in a landslide victory in Sunday's byelection, says boosting the borough's economy and lowering its poverty rate will be her priorities in office.

"I'm convinced that together, with residents, community organizations, local institutions and elected officials, we can work together to come up with solutions to fight social exclusion," she said in her victory speech.

Black, a member of Équipe Denis Coderre pour Montréal, won the byelection with 69 per cent of the vote. 

Kerlande Mibel of Projet Montréal came second with 23 per cent. 

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Coderre, whose former federal riding of Bourassa includes Montreal North, said Black is up to the challenge to improve things in the borough. 

"She did her homework," he told reporters.

"She went out into the field and talked to the people."

The result comes after a heated election campaign, during which activists called on the mayoral candidates to take steps to end racial profiling by Montreal police and "systemic anti-black racism in Quebec."

A local community group, the Regroupement pour le renouveau de Montréal-Nord, also criticized Denis Coderre's decision to select Christine Black as his party's candidate without consultation.

Don Harley Fils-Aimé, a spokesperson for the group, said Monday he was hoping for change, but accepted the result.

"Maybe we were moving too fast," he told CBC Montreal's Daybreak.

"We will work with whoever is there."

Only 20 per cent of residents eligible to vote exercised their right, according to Montreal's elections bureau.

Four candidates were in the running to become the next mayor. 

Jacques Massicotte and Richard Teffaha finished a distant third and fourth, respectively.

Black replaces Gilles Deguire, who resigned in January after being charged with sexual assault against a minor.

Black, 34, has worked in Montreal North for 14 years. She is the head of Centre des jeunes l'Escale and has been involved in several community organizations in the neighbourhood.