MATTHEW DALDALIAN | Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | matt.newsfirst@gmail.com

Fresh off her re-election as the Member of Parliament for Vimy, the longtime Liberal representative Annie Koutrakis says she feels “ecstatic” about her decisive win.

“It’s such an honour and a privilege to continue to have the confidence of the citizens of Vimy,” she said.

 Priorities

For Koutrakis, who has represented the Laval riding since 2019, this third mandate is not just another term — it’s a fresh opportunity to double down on long-standing priorities and respond to new challenges facing her constituents. Chief among them: affordability, housing, crime prevention, and bolstering local organizations.

“The average household income [in Vimy] is about $40,000,” Koutrakis noted. “The other [ridings] are about $76,000 or more, so you could see that there’s a large discrepancy.” That economic gap, she explained, directly informs her work in Ottawa. She plans to advocate for stronger financial support to not-for-profit organizations delivering frontline services in areas such as food assistance, housing support, and crisis intervention for victims of conjugal violence.

One of her more immediate concerns is the recent uptick in crime, particularly in Chomedey, which lies within her riding. Koutrakis said she has already begun conversations with Laval city councillors about how to improve public safety. “I want to look at and see how I can be a better partner to the municipality in combating that crime level.”

National Level

On a national level, Koutrakis is also keeping a close eye on Canada’s evolving transportation infrastructure. A former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, she played a role in early discussions around high-frequency rail — a project now evolving into a high-speed rail initiative intended to link major cities like Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City. “I want to make sure Laval is included as a stop on that route,” she emphasized.

Koutrakis also previously served as Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Economic Development for Quebec. One of her proudest achievements in that role was helping broker a memorandum of understanding on tourism between Canada and Greece, which she says has fostered closer ties through cultural exchange and education partnerships. As for the future, Koutrakis said she’d gladly accept another parliamentary secretary position if offered by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Carney’s recently unveiled cabinet, his first since taking office, marks a shift toward a leaner, more focused governance model. His 28-member cabinet is smaller than those seen under Justin Trudeau, with responsibilities more evenly distributed among Ministers and Secretaries of State. Reflecting on the new Liberal leadership, she said Carney’s decision to announce a middleclass tax cut as an early sign of its focus on economic relief.

“You can see he’s laser-focused on what needs to be done,” said Koutrakis. Koutrakis stressed that the federal government’s role in addressing the housing crisis lies in boosting the overall supply rather than attempting to manipulate market prices.

“Prices are determined by the market,” she said, adding that Ottawa’s focus should be on supporting construction and helping cities streamline their permitting processes. She pointed to federal initiatives such as the National Housing Strategy, which are already funding projects in her riding of Vimy aimed at creating hundreds of new affordable homes.

Community Connections

Back in Laval, Koutrakis is also focused on staying visible and accessible. Every two months, she hosts “petit cafés” — casual drop-in conversations with residents at local cafes and small businesses throughout Vimy. “It’s a way for me to connect directly with people and also support our local entrepreneurs,” she said, recalling her upbringing as the daughter of a restaurant owner in the riding.

Her office also maintains a robust communications schedule, with monthly digital newsletters sent to 3,500 residents, targeted printed bulletins reaching a rotating 10 per cent of households, and a quarterly newspaper-style report outlining her legislative work.

Koutrakis, who was sworn in for her third term on May 21, hasn’t yet returned to Parliament Hill since the campaign, but she’ll soon be off to Ottawa — and later to Portugal, where she’ll represent Canada at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), an intergovernmental forum on security and democratic development.

“There are 41 million people in Canada,” she added. “And only 343 of us get to sit in the House of Commons. I take that responsibility very seriously, and I want to make every day count.