Guelph

Centred on the city of Guelph at the confluence of the Speed and Eramosa rivers in southwestern Ontario, this riding encompasses the university city along with the surrounding Township of Puslinch and parts of the Township of Guelph-Eramosa. Home to the University of Guelph — one of Canada's leading research institutions, particularly in agriculture and veterinary science — the city has a well-educated population and a diversified economy that blends manufacturing, technology, and education.

Candidates

Lloyd Longfield (Liberal) — Originally from Winnipeg, Longfield moved to Guelph in 1992 and held a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and a diploma in mechanical engineering technology from Red River College. He served for approximately eight years as president and chief administrative officer of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, where he helped recruit ten physicians to the community, co-founded Innovation Guelph, and collaborated on sustainable development initiatives for the city.

Gloria Kovach (Conservative) — A fixture of Guelph's municipal politics, Kovach served on Guelph City Council for twenty-three years beginning in 1991. She previously ran as the Conservative candidate in Guelph in the 2008 federal election, finishing within a few percentage points of Liberal Frank Valeriote. She retired from city council in 2014 to pursue the federal nomination.

Andrew Seagram (NDP) — Seagram worked for the Upper Grand District School Board as coordinator of the Community Use of Schools Program, helping transform local schools into community hubs by connecting them with non-profit organizations.

Gord Miller (Green Party) — Miller served as Ontario's Environmental Commissioner from 2000 to 2015, completing three terms as the province's independent environmental watchdog. A University of Guelph alumnus with a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's in plant ecology, he had deep ties to the city. Green Party leader Elizabeth May attended his nomination event.

About the Riding

With outgoing Liberal MP Frank Valeriote announcing in late 2014 that he would not seek re-election, the 2015 race was an open contest for a seat the Liberals had held since 1993. Guelph's economy was anchored by the University of Guelph, Linamar Corporation, and a cluster of advanced manufacturing and clean technology firms. The city cultivated a reputation for environmental leadership, reflected in its community energy initiatives and the strength of the local Green vote. Guelph was also notable in recent political history as the riding at the centre of the 2011 robocalls controversy, in which misleading automated phone calls directed voters to the wrong polling stations. Heading into 2015, affordable housing, transit improvements, and the economic transition from traditional manufacturing to innovation-driven industries ranked among the top local concerns.