Elmwood—Transcona

Elmwood—Transcona is a federal electoral district covering the northeastern quadrant of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The by-election of September 16, 2024 was called following the resignation of NDP MP Daniel Blaikie, who stepped down on March 31, 2024, to accept a position as senior advisor on intergovernmental affairs to Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew. Blaikie had represented the riding since 2015, continuing a family legacy—his father, Bill Blaikie, held the seat from 1979 to 2008.

Candidates

Leila Dance (NDP) — Dance served as executive director of the Transcona Business Improvement Zone prior to her nomination. In that role, she worked to strengthen connections between local businesses and residents in the Transcona commercial district. She was selected as the NDP candidate on May 22, 2024.

Colin Reynolds (Conservative) — Reynolds is a construction electrician and member of IBEW Local 2085. He grew up in the Valley Gardens neighbourhood of the riding and campaigned on affordability and public safety issues.

Ian MacIntyre (Liberal) — MacIntyre is a retired teacher who spent 24 years with the River East Transcona School Division. He previously served as president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society.

Nicolas Geddert (Green Party) — Geddert ran as the Green Party candidate in the riding.

About the Riding

Elmwood—Transcona encompasses the Winnipeg neighbourhoods of Transcona, Elmwood, East Kildonan, and part of North Kildonan. The community of Transcona was founded in 1912 as the site of repair shops for the National Transcontinental Railway, with its name derived from a combination of "transcontinental" and Lord Strathcona. The CN Rail shops opened in 1913 and remained the community's economic anchor for decades, establishing a strong working-class and trade-union culture that persists today.

The riding's population was approximately 101,700 in 2021. English is the dominant language, spoken by over 75 percent of residents, with Tagalog, Punjabi, and French as the next most common languages. Nearly 26 percent of the labour force works in trades, equipment operation, manufacturing, or utilities, making it one of the most blue-collar ridings in Winnipeg. The median individual income was $40,800 in 2020.

Key employers in the area include the CN Rail maintenance facilities, the Transcona food processing corridor, and various manufacturing operations in the industrial parks along Dugald Road and Lag