Fundy Royal

Stretching across the rolling countryside between New Brunswick's three largest cities, Fundy Royal encompasses the towns of Sussex, Hampton, and Quispamsis along with parts of Riverview and the rural parishes of Kings, Queens, and Albert counties. The Bay of Fundy's record-setting tides shape the riding's southern coastline, where Fundy National Park and the Hopewell Rocks draw visitors from around the world. Historically one of the safest Conservative seats in Atlantic Canada, the riding had elected a non-Conservative only once in a century — Liberal Paul Zed, who held it from 1993 to 1997.

Candidates

Alaina Lockhart (Liberal) — A University of New Brunswick graduate with a degree in business administration, Lockhart owned a bridal shop in Sussex and had served as a village councillor in Norton from 2004 to 2008. She also sat as a director of the Royal District Planning Commission before entering federal politics.

Rob Moore (Conservative) — A lawyer called to the New Brunswick bar in 2000, Moore had represented the riding since 2004. He held several senior roles in the Harper government, including Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Jennifer McKenzie (NDP) — An electrical engineer from St. Martins, McKenzie entered the race motivated by frustration with the federal government's direction. She campaigned on the NDP's small business platform and the need to protect family farms and the region's agricultural sector.

Stephanie Coburn (Green Party) — Coburn carried the Green Party banner in the riding.

About the Riding

The economy of Fundy Royal has traditionally rested on agriculture, particularly dairy farming around Sussex, and potash mining in the Penobsquis area. The Sussex region sits atop the second-largest potash deposit in the world, and mines in the area had made the mineral extraction industry the community's biggest employer. Tourism also plays a significant role, with the Hopewell Rocks, Fundy Trail Parkway, and the national park drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The commuter communities of Quispamsis and Hampton, located along the Kennebecasis River, serve as bedroom suburbs for workers in nearby Saint John. During the campaign, jobs and middle-class affordability dominated local debate, with candidates offering competing visions for sustaining employment in a riding where resource industries faced uncertain commodity prices.