{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Lisa Lachance | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MLA|size=100%}} | image = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada | office1 = Critic, Finance and Treasury Board; Mental Health & Addictions; 2SLGBTQ+ Affairs; L’nu Affairs; Agriculture; Acadian Affairs; Advanced Education; and Communications NS. | term_start1 = September 7, 2021 | term_end1 = | leader1 = Gary Burrill and Claudia Chender | assembly2 = Nova Scotia House of | constituency_AM2 = Halifax Citadel-Sable Island | term_start2 = August 17, 2021 | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = Labi Kousoulis | successor2 = | party = New Democratic Party | spouse = Heather Gass | occupation = | alma_mater = Dalhousie University }}

'''Lisa Anne Lachance'''<ref>[https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/people/mlabios.pdf Biographical Directory of MLAs from 1984 to the Present] Nova Scotia Legislature</ref> {{post-nominals|country=CAN|MLA}} is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2021 Nova Scotia general election<ref>{{cite web |date=August 17, 2021 |title=Nova Scotia Election Riding Results: Halifax Citadel-Sable Island |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8060255/nova-scotia-election-halifax-citadel-sable-island-2021/ |publisher=Global News}}</ref> and re-elected in the 2024 Nova Scotia general election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Get all the Nova Scotia election results |url=https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/nova-scotia/2024/results/ |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=CBC News |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender announces NSNDP Shadow Cabinet |url=https://www.nsndp.ca/official-opposition-leader-claudia-chender-announces-nsndp-shadow-cabinet |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=Nova Scotia NDP |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life== Lachance was born in Montreal, and spent time in Belleville, Ontario and Australia, before completing high school in Canning, Nova Scotia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lisalachance.ca/interests|title=Interests - Lisa Lachance web|publisher=Lisalachance.ca}}</ref> 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.<ref>[https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/people/mlabios.pdf Biography of MLAs] Nova Scotia Legislature</ref>

==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)''.<ref>{{cite news |last=MacDonald |first=Rory |date=June 18, 2003 |title=Victory in the Justice System |url=https://xtramagazine.com/power/victory-in-the-justice-system-43773 |work=Xtra!}}</ref> Lachance is genderqueer<ref>{{cite web |last1=McSheffrey |first1=Elizabeth |title=Gender diversity will improve at N.S. legislature, but still falls below half of elected officials - Halifax {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8125403/gender-diversity-will-improve-at-n-s-legislature-but-still-falls-below-half-of-elected-officials/ |website=Global News |access-date=September 15, 2021 |quote=Lachance, who is genderqueer, knocked Liberal incumbent Labi Kousoulis out of the job — evidence that Nova Scotians “wanted change,” they said.}}</ref> and uses ''she''/''they'' pronouns.<ref name="thecoast" /> 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.<ref name="thecoast">{{cite news |last1=Armstrong |first1=Lyndsay |title=Meet peninsula Halifax's new MLAs Ali Duale, Suzy Hansen and Lisa Lachance |url=https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/meet-peninsula-halifaxs-new-mlas/Content?oid=27089344 |website=The Coast Halifax |access-date=September 15, 2021 |language=en |quote=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.}}</ref>

==Electoral history== {{2024 Nova Scotia general election/Halifax Citadel-Sable Island}} {{2021 Nova Scotia general election/Halifax Citadel-Sable Island}}

{{Canadian election result/top|NS|2021|Halifax Citadel-Sable Island|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NS|NDP|'''Lisa Lachance'''| 3,397 | 42.31|+12.55}} {{CANelec|NS|Liberal|Labi Kousoulis| 2,956| 36.82 |-4.74}} {{CANelec|NS|PC|Sheri Morgan | 1,425 | 17.75|-5.48}} {{CANelec|NS|Green|Noah Hollis|250|3.11|-2.33}} {{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 8,028|99.79 }} {{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|17|0.21|}} {{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|8,045|48.92|}} {{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters| 16,444}} {{CANelec/gain|NS|NDP|Liberal|+8.65}} {{end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Nova Scotia MLAs}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lachance, Lisa}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Canadian lesbian politicians Category:Politicians from Halifax, Nova Scotia Category:Politicians from Montreal Category:Nova Scotia New Democratic Party MLAs Category:Women MLAs in Nova Scotia Category:Canadian LGBTQ people in provincial and territorial legislatures Category:Canadian non-binary politicians Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Category:Non-binary lesbians Category:21st-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

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