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Suze Youance, a prominent civil engineer and advocate for the Haitian community in Montreal, has been appointed to the Canadian Senate, representing Quebec as an independent senator. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who highlighted Youance’s broad experience in both engineering and community leadership.
Youance’s journey to the Senate began when she immigrated to Canada from Haiti in 2006, following over a decade of work on Canadian aid projects in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. Settling in Montreal, Youance quickly became a key figure in the local Haitian community while also advancing her career in academia. She taught at the École de technologie supérieure (ETS), a leading public research university specializing in engineering.
Beyond her academic contributions, Youance has been deeply involved in community service. She serves as the chair of the board of directors for the Bureau de la communauté haïtienne de Montréal, an organization dedicated to supporting Haitian families with immigration, academic, and social services. Additionally, she holds a seat on the board of the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal, focusing on housing and urban development issues.
Prime Minister Trudeau praised Youance for her dedication to public service and her wide-ranging expertise. “Her extensive background in engineering, community leadership, and sustainable development will make her an essential voice in the Senate,” Trudeau stated. He emphasized that Youance’s appointment reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring diversity and inclusion in Canada’s political institutions.
Youance’s leadership in both engineering and community advocacy has earned her several accolades, including the Casimir Gzowski Gold Medal from the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and the Mathieu Da Costa Award from the Black Coalition of Quebec. These awards recognize her exceptional contributions to civil engineering and her ongoing commitment to social justice and development.
In her new role as a senator, Youance is expected to leverage her background in sustainable development and her deep connections with immigrant communities. Her appointment was recommended by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, and she joins the ranks of the 87 other independent senators selected under Prime Minister Trudeau’s tenure since 2015.
Youance’s appointment strengthens the representation of Haitian-Canadians in public office and reflects her years of dedication to improving the lives of those in both her local community and beyond.
