Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC — 2015 Federal Election Results Map
Nanaimo—Ladysmith — 2015 Election Results
📌 The Canadian federal electoral district of Nanaimo—Ladysmith was contested in the 2015 election.
🏆 Sheila Malcolmson, the NDP-New Democratic Party candidate, won the riding with 23,651 votes (33.2% of the vote).
🥈 The runner-up was Tim Tessier (Liberal) with 16,753 votes (23.5%), defeated by a margin of 6,898 votes.
📊 Other notable candidates: Mark Allen MacDonald (Conservative, 23%) and Paul Manly (Green Party, 20%).
Riding information
Auto generated. Flag an issue.Nanaimo—Ladysmith
Nanaimo—Ladysmith occupies the central east coast of Vancouver Island, anchored by the city of Nanaimo and extending south to include the town of Ladysmith and north to the municipality of Lantzville. The riding also takes in Gabriola Island and several smaller Gulf Islands. It was a new riding created through the 2012 redistribution, drawn from the former ridings of Nanaimo—Cowichan and Nanaimo—Alberni.
Candidates
Sheila Malcolmson (NDP) — Before entering federal politics, Malcolmson served four terms on the Islands Trust Council, including six years as chair, where she advocated for ferry service improvements, marine safety, and oil spill prevention. She held a degree in Environmental and Resource Studies from Trent University and had worked in ecology, tourism, and small business.
Tim Tessier (Liberal) — Tessier ran a competitive campaign as the Liberal candidate, finishing second.
Mark Allen MacDonald (Conservative) — MacDonald carried the Conservative banner in the riding and finished in a close third behind Tessier.
Paul Manly (Green Party) — Manly had originally sought the NDP nomination for the riding but was denied by the party’s federal executive. He then ran as the Green Party candidate and was appointed by leader Elizabeth May as the party’s International Trade Critic during the campaign.
Jack East (Marxist-Leninist) also appeared on the ballot.
About the Riding
Nanaimo, with a population of roughly 90,000 in 2015, is Vancouver Island’s second-largest city and a major ferry terminal connecting the island to the Lower Mainland via BC Ferries. The city is home to Vancouver Island University and serves as a regional hub for retail, healthcare, and government services. Ferry fares and service levels were persistent political issues, as residents and businesses depend on the ferries for access to the mainland. Ladysmith, a heritage town of about 8,000 on the 49th parallel, has a growing arts community and waterfront redevelopment. The riding’s economy mixes forestry, fishing, marine services, tourism, education, and a developing technology sector. Gabriola Island adds a rural and artistic dimension to the riding’s character. In 2015, ferry affordability, environmental protection of coastal waters, and First Nations reconciliation were prominent campaign themes.
