Amarjeet Sohi

Amarjeet Sohi
Born	3/8/1964
Birthplace	Banbhaura, Punjab, India
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Politician, public affairs consultant
Title	Senior Advisor, New West Public Affairs
Known for	36th Mayor of Edmonton, federal Cabinet minister
Education	Grant MacEwan Community College
Awards	John Chicken Award for Human Rights

Amarjeet Sohi (born March 8, 1964) is a Canadian politician who served as the 36th mayor of Edmonton from October 2021 to October 2025. Before entering municipal politics at the mayoral level, Sohi represented Ward 12 on the Edmonton City Council from 2007 to 2015 and served as a Liberal member of Parliament for Edmonton Mill Woods from 2015 to 2019. During his time in the House of Commons, he held two federal Cabinet portfolios under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Minister of Infrastructure and Communities (2015–2018) and Minister of Natural Resources (2018–2019). Born in Punjab, India, Sohi immigrated to Canada in 1981 and worked as a taxi driver and later a bus driver in Edmonton before turning to public service. His path to political life was shaped by a harrowing experience in India, where he was detained for 21 months in the late 1980s on unsubstantiated terrorism charges before being released for lack of evidence. Upon his election as mayor in 2021, Sohi became the first visible minority to hold the office, and he and Jyoti Gondek, elected mayor of Calgary on the same day, jointly became Canada's first Punjabi mayors of major cities. Following the end of his mayoral term in 2025, Sohi joined New West Public Affairs as a senior advisor.

Early Life

Amarjeet Sohi was born on March 8, 1964, in the village of Banbhaura in Punjab, India. He immigrated to Canada in 1981 at the age of seventeen and settled in Edmonton, Alberta. Upon his arrival, Sohi initially found employment as a taxi driver, working to support himself as he adapted to life in a new country.

In 1988, Sohi returned to India, where he was detained by authorities and accused of terrorism. During his imprisonment, he was subjected to harsh treatment, including periods of solitary confinement. The charges against him lacked substantive evidence, and after spending 21 months in prison, Sohi was released. The experience of wrongful detention had a formative impact on his life and his later commitment to human rights and community advocacy.

After his release and return to Edmonton, Sohi took employment as a bus driver with Edmonton Transit Service, a position he held for a number of years. His experience as a transit worker and his earlier work as a taxi driver informed his understanding of public infrastructure and the daily challenges faced by working-class Edmontonians. These experiences would later become central themes in his political career, as he frequently cited his background as an immigrant worker to connect with constituents across Edmonton's diverse communities.

Sohi's journey from immigrant taxi driver to city councillor, federal Cabinet minister, and ultimately mayor of Edmonton became a frequently referenced aspect of his public narrative. His wrongful imprisonment in India, in particular, drew attention to issues of civil liberties and the rights of individuals detained without adequate evidence, themes he continued to address throughout his political life.

Education

Sohi attended Grant MacEwan Community College (now MacEwan University) in Edmonton, where he studied. His formal education in Canada complemented the practical experience he gained through years of work in the transportation sector, and his community college background became part of his broader story as an immigrant who built a career in Canadian public life through determination and civic engagement.

Career

Edmonton City Council (2007–2015)

Sohi first sought election to the Edmonton City Council in the 2004 municipal election, running for the Ward 12 seat, where he finished in fourth place. Undeterred by the loss, he ran again in the 2007 municipal election for the same ward and was successful, winning the seat previously held by Terry Cavanagh. He served alongside fellow Ward 12 councillor Dave Thiele.

During his time on city council, Sohi established himself as a voice for infrastructure investment, public transit expansion, and the concerns of Edmonton's growing immigrant communities. He represented Ward 12 for two terms, serving from October 23, 2007, until his departure from council on November 2, 2015, to take up his seat in the House of Commons. His successor on council was Mohinder Banga.

Sohi was active in community organizations during his time as a city councillor, and his work on human rights was recognized with the John Chicken Award for Human Rights from the John Chicken Centre. He was also recognized through the RISE Awards, which acknowledged the achievements of successful immigrants in Canada.

In 2013, Sohi publicly indicated his intentions regarding the next stage of his political career, announcing his plans concerning the upcoming Edmonton elections.

Federal Politics: Member of Parliament (2015–2019)

In early 2015, the federal Liberal Party opened nominations for the newly created riding of Edmonton Mill Woods. Sohi entered the contest, which drew attention from other prospective candidates including Varinder Bhullar. The nomination process was not without controversy; Bhullar subsequently blamed what he characterized as "dirty tricks" for his loss of the Liberal ballot. Sohi was ultimately acclaimed as the Liberal candidate for Edmonton Mill Woods in March 2015.

During the 2015 federal election campaign, Sohi received a boost from Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, who attended his campaign launch event in Edmonton. The campaign in Edmonton Mill Woods was closely contested. Sohi faced incumbent Conservative member of Parliament Tim Uppal, and the race proved to be one of the tightest in the country.

Sohi won the riding on October 19, 2015, though by a narrow margin. The closeness of the result led Uppal to request a judicial recount, which was granted by a judge. The judicial recount confirmed Sohi's victory.

During the campaign period, Sohi weighed in on several issues of national debate. He spoke out against proposals to ban head scarves, calling such measures a "slippery slope." He also called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to respond to a Conservative MP's use of the term "whities," saying the comment demanded a response from the party's leader.

Federal Cabinet Minister (2015–2019)

Following the Liberal Party's majority victory in the 2015 federal election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Sohi to the federal Cabinet. On November 4, 2015, Sohi was sworn in as the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, succeeding Denis Lebel in the portfolio.

As Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Sohi oversaw federal infrastructure investments across Canada from 2015 to 2018. His background as a former city councillor and his experience with municipal governance informed his approach to the portfolio, which involved coordination between federal, provincial, and municipal governments on infrastructure spending and project delivery.

On July 18, 2018, Sohi was moved to the position of Minister of Natural Resources, succeeding Jim Carr in the role. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing federal policy related to Canada's natural resource sector, including the energy industry. The portfolio placed him at the centre of debates over pipeline development, including the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX), a project that generated significant political controversy across the country. Sohi later reflected on his experience with the TMX file in a December 2025 opinion piece in the Edmonton Journal, writing that the benefits of the pipeline were clear for both Alberta and Canada when viewed in retrospect.

Sohi served as Minister of Natural Resources until the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the 2019 federal election. He was succeeded in the role by Seamus O'Regan.

In the 2019 federal election, Sohi was defeated in Edmonton Mill Woods by Conservative candidate Tim Uppal, who had lost the same seat to Sohi four years earlier. The result was part of a broader sweep of Edmonton-area ridings by the Conservative Party in that election cycle.

Mayoral Campaign and Term (2021–2025)

Following his federal defeat in 2019, Sohi announced his candidacy for mayor of Edmonton in the 2021 municipal election. The race to succeed outgoing mayor Don Iveson attracted a large field of candidates.

On October 18, 2021, Sohi was elected as the 36th mayor of Edmonton. His victory was historic: he became the first visible minority to serve as Edmonton's mayor. The significance of the moment was amplified by the simultaneous election of Jyoti Gondek as mayor of Calgary, making Sohi and Gondek jointly Canada's first Punjabi mayors of major cities. Sohi was formally sworn in on October 26, 2021.

As mayor, Sohi faced a range of challenges confronting the city, including pressures on housing affordability, public safety, transit infrastructure, and the post-pandemic economic recovery. In his exit interviews as mayor in October 2025, Sohi reflected on the difficulty of the decisions his administration had faced, noting the need for leaders to make "difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions." He also called on political leaders across the country to "tone down the rhetoric," urging a return to more constructive public discourse.

In reflecting on his legacy as mayor, Sohi discussed both the accomplishments and the difficulties of the role. Global News conducted a final sit-down interview with Sohi in September 2025, during which he reflected on the positive and negative aspects of his tenure and the legacy he hoped to leave behind.

Sohi's term as mayor ended on October 29, 2025, and he was succeeded by Andrew Knack.

2025 Federal Election Bid

In 2025, Sohi announced a return to federal politics, declaring that he would seek the Liberal Party nomination and run as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Edmonton Southeast. The bid represented an attempt to return to the House of Commons after his 2019 defeat. However, Sohi was defeated in the general election by Conservative candidate Jagsharan Singh Mahal. Following this loss, Sohi announced that he would not seek re-election as mayor of Edmonton in the 2025 municipal election.

Post-Political Career

On March 12, 2026, New West Public Affairs announced that Sohi had joined the firm. The appointment was reported by multiple media outlets, with CTV News and Business Insider confirming that the former mayor and federal minister had taken on a role at the public affairs firm.

Personal Life

Sohi is a resident of Edmonton, Alberta, where he has lived for most of his adult life since immigrating from India in 1981. His personal history — including his early work as a taxi driver and bus driver, and his wrongful detention in India — has been a recurring element of his public identity and political narrative.

Sohi's election as mayor of Edmonton in 2021 was noted not only for its political significance but also for its cultural milestone, as he became the first person from a visible minority community to serve as the city's mayor. His election alongside Jyoti Gondek in Calgary was covered as a landmark moment for Punjabi Canadians and for diversity in Canadian municipal politics.

Recognition

Sohi received the John Chicken Award for Human Rights from the John Chicken Centre in recognition of his advocacy and contributions to human rights. He was also honoured through the RISE Awards, which recognize the achievements and contributions of immigrants to Canadian society.

As a former federal Cabinet minister, Sohi holds the honorific title "The Honourable," which is retained for life by former members of the Canadian Privy Council.

His election as Edmonton's first visible minority mayor in 2021 was covered by national and international media as a significant moment in Canadian political history, particularly in the context of the simultaneous election of Jyoti Gondek as mayor of Calgary.

Legacy

Sohi's political career spanned municipal, federal, and again municipal levels of government over nearly two decades, a trajectory that was unusual in Canadian politics. His personal story — from immigrant taxi driver to wrongful prisoner to city councillor, federal Cabinet minister, and mayor — became one of the most frequently cited immigrant success stories in Edmonton's political history.

At the federal level, Sohi's tenure as Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of Natural Resources placed him at the centre of major policy files, including national infrastructure spending and the politically contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. His later reflection on the TMX project, published in the Edmonton Journal in December 2025, offered a retrospective defence of the pipeline as a nation-building project.

As mayor, Sohi's election broke a barrier in Edmonton municipal politics, and the joint milestones achieved by Sohi and Gondek in 2021 were noted as evidence of the increasing diversity of Canadian political leadership. In his final interviews as mayor, Sohi emphasized the importance of responsible leadership and civil discourse, urging political figures across Canada to lead by example.

Following his departure from elected office, Sohi transitioned to the private sector, joining New West Public Affairs in March 2026.