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 was born March 8, 1964. He's a Canadian politician who served as Edmonton's 36th mayor from October 2021 to October 2025. Before that, he represented Ward 12 on city council from 2007 to 2015 and then spent four years in the House of Commons as a Liberal MP for Edmonton Mill Woods. Under Justin Trudeau, he held two Cabinet posts: Minister of Infrastructure and Communities from 2015 to 2018, then Minister of Natural Resources until 2019.

His journey to politics was shaped by hardship. Born in Punjab, India, Sohi came to Canada in 1981 and worked as a taxi driver, later as a bus driver in Edmonton. Then in the late 1980s came a harrowing chapter: detained in India for 21 months on baseless terrorism charges, he was ultimately released when the evidence didn't hold up. That experience stuck with him and informed everything he'd do in public service afterward.

When he won the mayoral race in 2021, history was made. He became Edmonton's first visible minority mayor. What's more, that same day Jyoti Gondek won the Calgary mayoral race, making them Canada's first Punjabi mayors of major cities. After leaving office in 2025, Sohi joined New West Public Affairs as a senior advisor.

Early Life

Born March 8, 1964, in the village of Banbhaura, Punjab. Sohi came to Canada in 1981 at seventeen and settled in Edmonton. His first job was driving a taxi, which helped him get on his feet in a new country.

In 1988, he went back to India. What happened next changed his life forever. Authorities detained him on terrorism charges that had no real substance behind them. The prison conditions were brutal. Solitary confinement. No justice. After 21 months, with the case falling apart, they finally let him go. But you don't forget something like that. It became central to who he was and how he'd approach human rights and community work for decades to come.

Back in Edmonton, he took a job with Edmonton Transit Service as a bus driver and stuck with it for years. Those jobs, working with people every day, taught him plenty about what ordinary Edmontonians faced. He'd later talk frequently about his blue-collar past when connecting with voters across the city's diverse neighborhoods.

His whole story, really, became a political narrative: immigrant taxi driver to bus driver to city councillor to federal minister to mayor. It was the kind of trajectory people noticed. And that detention in India? It made him someone who understood civil liberties and the damage done when the system fails you.

Education

He attended Grant MacEwan Community College (now MacEwan University) in Edmonton. Combined with his work experience in the transportation sector, his college background fit into a larger picture: an immigrant who built a career through hard work and genuine commitment to civic life.

Career

Edmonton City Council (2007–2015)

He first ran for Ward 12 in 2004 and lost, finishing fourth. That didn't stop him. In 2007 he tried again for the same seat and won, taking over the spot held by Terry Cavanagh. He served with fellow Ward 12 councillor Dave Thiele.

On council, Sohi pushed hard for infrastructure investment and transit expansion. He gave voice to Edmonton's immigrant communities. From October 23, 2007, until November 2, 2015, he represented Ward 12 before leaving for the House of Commons. Mohinder Banga succeeded him on council.

During those years, he stayed active in community organizations. The John Chicken Centre recognized his human rights work with an award. He also picked up the RISE Awards, which honoured successful immigrants in Canada.

By 2013, he was starting to signal bigger ambitions.

Federal Politics: Member of Parliament (2015–2019)

Early 2015 brought the chance to run federally. The Liberals opened up nominations for the newly created riding of Edmonton Mill Woods, and Sohi jumped at it. The race attracted other strong candidates including Varinder Bhullar. The nomination battle got messy. Bhullar later complained about what he called "dirty tricks" after losing the ballot. In the end, Sohi was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate in March 2015.

Justin Trudeau himself showed up to Sohi's campaign launch event, giving the campaign real momentum. The general election race turned out to be tight. He was up against Conservative incumbent Tim Uppal, and neither candidate had clear ground.

On October 19, 2015, Sohi won by a narrow margin. The closeness of it led Uppal to request a judicial recount, which the courts approved. The recount confirmed he'd won.

During the campaign he didn't shy away from tough issues. On proposals to ban head scarves, he called it a "slippery slope." He also pushed back when a Conservative MP used the term "whities," calling on Stephen Harper to respond to such language from his own party.

Federal Cabinet Minister (2015–2019)

After the Liberals won their majority in 2015, Justin Trudeau put Sohi straight into Cabinet. On November 4, 2015, he was sworn in as Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, replacing Denis Lebel.

In this role from 2015 to 2018, Sohi managed federal infrastructure spending across the country. His background as a city councillor meant he understood the nitty-gritty of how federal, provincial, and municipal governments had to work together on infrastructure deals.

July 18, 2018 brought a move. He became Minister of Natural Resources, taking over from Jim Carr. Now he was responsible for major energy policy. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion dominated the file. It was politically explosive. Years later, in December 2025, Sohi wrote an opinion piece in the Edmonton Journal about what he'd learned from the TMX experience, arguing that the pipeline's benefits for Alberta and Canada were clear when you looked back on it.

He stayed in that post until Parliament dissolved before the 2019 election. Seamus O'Regan took over after him.

Then came the 2019 campaign. Sohi lost Edmonton Mill Woods to Tim Uppal, the same guy he'd beaten four years earlier. It was part of a broader Conservative sweep of the Edmonton area that cycle.

Mayoral Campaign and Term (2021–2025)

After losing in 2019, Sohi set his sights on city hall. He announced his bid to be mayor of Edmonton in the 2021 race. The field was crowded, with lots of candidates looking to replace outgoing mayor Don Iveson.

On October 18, 2021, he won. Historic moment. First visible minority to be elected mayor of Edmonton. But there was more. Jyoti Gondek had just won in Calgary that same day, making the two of them Canada's first Punjabi mayors of major cities. Sohi was formally sworn in on October 26, 2021.

As mayor, challenges were everywhere. Housing was unaffordable. Public safety was a concern. Transit needed work. The city was trying to recover from the pandemic. In his exit interviews in October 2025, Sohi talked about the tough calls his administration had to make, saying leaders sometimes have to make "difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions." He also urged political leaders across Canada to "tone down the rhetoric" and work toward better public discourse.

When it came time to reflect on his tenure, Sohi talked openly about both what he'd accomplished and where things had been hard. Global News sat down with him in September 2025 for a final interview where he looked back on the highs and lows and what he hoped his time as mayor would mean.

His term ended October 29, 2025. Andrew Knack became the next mayor.

2025 Federal Election Bid

In 2025, Sohi announced he was coming back to federal politics. He wanted the Liberal nomination in Edmonton Southeast and a shot at returning to the House of Commons after his 2019 loss. It didn't work out. Conservative Jagsharan Singh Mahal beat him in the general election. After that defeat, Sohi decided he wouldn't run for mayor again either.

Post-Political Career

On March 12, 2026, New West Public Affairs announced Sohi had joined the firm as a senior advisor. CTV News and Business Insider both reported the move, confirming that the former mayor and federal minister had taken on a new role in the private sector.

Personal Life

He's been an Edmonton resident since 1981, when he first arrived from India. That personal history, from taxi and bus driver to wrongful prisoner, became woven into his public identity throughout his political career.

Being elected mayor in 2021 mattered on two levels. Yes, it was a political achievement. But it was also a cultural milestone. First visible minority mayor of Edmonton. And paired with Jyoti Gondek's election in Calgary the same day, it represented something bigger for Punjabi Canadians and diversity in Canadian municipal politics generally.

Recognition

The John Chicken Centre gave him the John Chicken Award for Human Rights, recognizing his work on civil liberties and community advocacy. He was also honoured through the RISE Awards, which recognize immigrant contributions to Canadian life.

As a former federal Cabinet minister, he holds the title "The Honourable" for life, as is the custom for members of the Canadian Privy Council.

His 2021 election as Edmonton's first visible minority mayor drew national and even international media attention, particularly because of its coincidence with Jyoti Gondek's election in Calgary.

Legacy

Over nearly two decades, Sohi moved between municipal, federal, and municipal politics again. That's not the typical Canadian path. His story was unusual: immigrant taxi driver, prisoner of conscience, city councillor, federal minister, then mayor. It became one of Edmonton's most-cited immigrant success narratives.

At the federal level, as Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and later Minister of Natural Resources, he was at the centre of major files. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion was especially contentious. His 2025 opinion piece in the Edmonton Journal offered his later thoughts on that project, defending it as nation-building work.

His mayoral election broke a barrier in Edmonton politics. When paired with Gondek's election in Calgary, it signalled growing diversity in Canadian political leadership. In his final interviews as mayor, Sohi emphasized the importance of responsible leadership and civil discourse, calling on political figures to lead by example.

He's since moved to the private sector, joining New West Public Affairs in March 2026.