Oxford

Oxford is a federal electoral district in southwestern Ontario, encompassing Oxford County and a small portion of the County of Brant. The by-election of June 19, 2023 was called following the resignation of Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie, who had represented the riding since 2004. MacKenzie announced his retirement in late 2022 after nearly two decades of service, and his seat was officially vacated on January 28, 2023.

Candidates

Arpan Khanna (Conservative) — Khanna is a lawyer who previously served as a political staffer to then-Immigration Minister Jason Kenney and was Ontario co-chair of Pierre Poilievre's 2022 leadership campaign. He had run as a Conservative candidate in a Brampton riding in the 2019 federal election. His nomination in Oxford was contentious, with outgoing MP MacKenzie endorsing the Liberal candidate over Khanna.

David Hilderley (Liberal) — Hilderley is a retired educator who spent 34 years as a teacher, consultant, vice-principal, and principal in Oxford County schools. He subsequently became a real estate agent for 17 years. He co-chaired the Golden Gala charity event and served as chair of the 2001 Canada Games Committee. He also finished second in the Woodstock mayoral race in 2022.

Cody Groat (NDP) — Groat is an assistant professor in the Department of History and Indigenous Studies Program at Western University. He is a Kanyen'kehá:ka (Mohawk) citizen and band member of Six Nations of the Grand River. He holds a PhD in history from Wilfrid Laurier University and a master's degree in world heritage studies from the University of Birmingham.

Wendy Martin (People's Party) — Martin ran as the People's Party of Canada candidate.

Cheryle Baker (Green Party) — Baker ran as the Green Party candidate.

About the Riding

Oxford encompasses all of Oxford County, including the City of Woodstock (population approximately 46,000), the towns of Ingersoll and Tillsonburg, and the rural townships of Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford, and Zorra. A small portion of the former Burford Township in the County of Brant is also included. The riding's total population was approximately 121,800 in the 2021 census.

Highway 401 runs east-west through the centre of the county, creating an industrial corridor between the Toyota motor vehicle assembly plant in Woodstock and the CAMI (General Motors) assembly plant in Ingersoll, spanning approximately 25 kilometres. These anchor employers support a network of parts manufacturers, logistics companies, and skilled trades throughout the region.

Beyond the automotive sector, the local economy is heavily agricultural, with the dairy industry particularly prominent. Oxford County brands itself as the "Dairy Capital of Canada." The riding is predominantly English-speaking, with a largely white population (90 percent), and had a median individual income of $42,800 in 2020. The landscape is characterized by flat to gently rolling farmland punctuated by small towns and the larger urban centres along the 401 corridor.