Guelph

Guelph is a federal riding coterminous with the City of Guelph, a mid-sized city of approximately 121,000 people located in southwestern Ontario at the confluence of the Speed and Eramosa Rivers. The city sits roughly 100 kilometres west of Toronto, in Wellington County.

Candidates

Frank Valeriote (Liberal) — The incumbent MP, first elected in the 2008 general election. Born in Guelph in 1954, Valeriote was the son of Domenic Valeriote, a long-serving Guelph city councillor and accomplished distance runner. He studied history and economics at the University of Western Ontario and earned his law degree from the University of Ottawa, being called to the bar in 1981. He returned to Guelph to co-found the law firm SmithValeriote LLP, where he practised as a senior partner for over two decades. Before entering federal politics, he served 18 years on a local school board. In Parliament, he served as the Liberal critic for agriculture.

Marty Burke (Conservative) — Burke was an airline pilot and a first-time federal candidate. Prime Minister Stephen Harper campaigned for Burke in Guelph during the election.

Bobbi Stewart (NDP) — Stewart carried the NDP banner in Guelph for the 2011 election.

John Lawson (Green Party) also ran, along with Philip Bender (Libertarian), Kornelis Klevering (Radical Marijuana), Karen Levenson (Animal Alliance/Environment Voters), and Drew Garvie (Communist).

About the Riding

Guelph is a prosperous, well-educated city with a diversified economy. In 2011, the city boasted one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 4.2 percent. The University of Guelph, a major research university renowned for its agricultural science, veterinary medicine, and environmental programs, is the city's largest institutional employer and gives the riding a significant student population that fluctuates with the academic year. The university's research activities in food science and agriculture connect directly to the surrounding region's farming economy.

Advanced manufacturing is Guelph's largest private-sector industry. Linamar Corporation, one of Canada's largest auto parts manufacturers, is headquartered in the city and employs thousands of local workers. Sleeman Breweries, with roots in Guelph's brewing tradition dating to the 1850s, is another prominent local employer. The city also has a growing technology and professional services sector.

Guelph has a reputation for environmental consciousness and civic engagement, reflected in its strong Green Party vote share relative to most Ontario ridings. The downtown core centres on the Church of Our Lady Immaculate, a landmark limestone basilica atop a hill overlooking the Speed River. Highway 6 connects the city north to Fergus and south to Hamilton, while Highway 401 runs along its southern edge, linking it to Toronto and the broader Golden Horseshoe corridor.