Marchand was born in
Quebec City and grew up in the Lairet neighbourhood of
La Cité-Limoilou. He received a degree in
philosophy from
Université Laval in 1995 and a certification in
social work from
Cégep de Sainte-Foy in 1998. From 2008 to 2014, Marchand worked for the Quebec Association for the Prevention of Suicide. In February 2021, the rumours of his candidacy became more serious. On March 23, 2021, Marchand left his position at Centraide Québec-Bas-Saint-Laurent. Two days later, Marchand registered a new political party with
Élections Québec. The party, named
Québec forte et fière, had Marchand as its leader. On April 15, 2021, Marchand announced his candidacy for mayor of Quebec in a press conference at a community centre in
Limoilou. Elections were held in Quebec City on November 7, 2021. As polls closed on election night, around 8:30pm, local television networks declared Marie-Josée Savard the victor, with a 14% lead over Marchand. Following this announcement, Savard made a victory speech to her supporters and the press. Around 10:00 p.m.,
TVA reversed its prediction of Savard's victory due to a reduced vote margin between her and Marchand. By 10:40pm, Marchand took the lead in votes and eventually won the election by 834 votes. Due to the surprise win by Marchand, Savard's campaign considered a recount, but conceded defeat the next day. On November 14, 2021, Marchand was sworn in as the 38th Mayor of Quebec in the presence of all the city councillors at the
Quebec City Armory. He is the first mayor since
Lucien Borne in 1938, to come from downtown Quebec City. == Personal life ==