Lisa Lachance

Lisa Lachance
Critic, Finance and Treasury Board; Mental Health & Addictions; 2SLGBTQ+ Affairs; L’nu Affairs; Agriculture; Acadian Affairs; Advanced Education; and Communications NS.
Assumed office
September 7, 2021
LeaderGary Burrill and Claudia Chender
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island
Assumed office
August 17, 2021
Preceded byLabi Kousoulis
Personal details
BornMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseHeather Gass
Residence(s)Halifax, Nova Scotia
Alma materDalhousie University

Lisa Anne Lachance[1] MLA is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election[2] and re-elected in the 2024 Nova Scotia general election[3]. She represents the riding of Halifax Citadel-Sable Island as a member of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.

As of August 2025, Lachance serves as the Official Opposition critic for Finance, Environment, Mental Health and Addictions, 2SLGBTQIA+ Affairs, Acadian Affairs, and Natural Resources. Lachance also serves as the New Democrat House Leader.[4]

Early life

Lachance was born in Montreal, and spent time in Belleville, Ontario and Australia, before completing high school in Canning, Nova Scotia.[5] Lachance graduated from Dalhousie University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies and in 2000 with a Master of Public Administration.[6]

Personal life

Lachance and her partner Heather Gass were one of the first same-sex couples to be legally married in Canada following Halpern v Canada (AG).[7] Lachance is genderqueer[8] and uses she/they pronouns.[9] She is the first gender non-conforming MLA in Nova Scotia, and the third overall in the nation, joining Uzoma Asagwara and Estefan Cortes-Vargas.[9]

Electoral history

2024 Nova Scotia general election: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic 3,903 52.7%
Progressive Conservative Eleanor Humphries 1,908 25.7%
Liberal Rob Grace 1,440 19.4%
Green Karen Beazley 159 2.1%
Total valid votes
Total rejected ballots
Turnout 7,410
Eligible voters
New Democratic hold Swing
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[10]
2021 Nova Scotia general election: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic 3,397 42.31 +12.55 $42,325.05
Liberal Labi Kousoulis 2,956 36.82 -4.74 $76,524.21
Progressive Conservative Sheri Morgan 1,425 17.75 -5.48 $78,619.59
Green Noah Hollis 250 3.11 -2.33 $3,156.19
Total valid votes/expense limit 8,028 99.79 $95,751.07
Total rejected ballots 17 0.21
Turnout 8,045 48.92
Eligible voters 16,444
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +8.65
Source: Elections Nova Scotia[11]
2021 Nova Scotia general election: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Lisa Lachance 3,397 42.31 +12.55
Liberal Labi Kousoulis 2,956 36.82 -4.74
Progressive Conservative Sheri Morgan 1,425 17.75 -5.48
Green Noah Hollis 250 3.11 -2.33
Total valid votes 8,028 99.79
Total rejected ballots 17 0.21
Turnout 8,045 48.92
Eligible voters 16,444
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +8.65

References

  1. ^ Biographical Directory of MLAs from 1984 to the Present Nova Scotia Legislature
  2. ^ "Nova Scotia Election Riding Results: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island". Global News. August 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "Get all the Nova Scotia election results". CBC News. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  4. ^ "Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender announces NSNDP Shadow Cabinet". Nova Scotia NDP. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  5. ^ "Interests - Lisa Lachance web". Lisalachance.ca.
  6. ^ Biography of MLAs Nova Scotia Legislature
  7. ^ MacDonald, Rory (June 18, 2003). "Victory in the Justice System". Xtra!.
  8. ^ McSheffrey, Elizabeth. "Gender diversity will improve at N.S. legislature, but still falls below half of elected officials - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved September 15, 2021. Lachance, who is genderqueer, knocked Liberal incumbent Labi Kousoulis out of the job — evidence that Nova Scotians "wanted change," they said.
  9. ^ a b Armstrong, Lyndsay. "Meet peninsula Halifax's new MLAs Ali Duale, Suzy Hansen and Lisa Lachance". The Coast Halifax. Retrieved September 15, 2021. Lachance, who's non-binary and uses both they and she pronouns, is one of only a few openly gender-queer politicians to win a Canadian election.
  10. ^ https://globalnews.ca/news/10865536/nova-scotia-election-2024-halifax-citadel-sable-island/
  11. ^ "Provincial General Election 2021-08-17- Official Results". Elections Nova Scotia. Retrieved October 7, 2021.