Avalon

The Avalon riding spans the southern and western reaches of the Avalon Peninsula, wrapping around the city of St. John's without including it. Conception Bay South, the province's second-largest municipality and a booming commuter suburb, dominates the riding's northeastern corridor, while the historic Southern Shore communities of Ferryland, Placentia, and Trepassey stretch along the coast to the south and west.

Candidates

Ken McDonald (Liberal) — McDonald had represented Avalon since winning the seat in 2015 after stepping down as mayor of Conception Bay South. A lifelong resident of the town, he ran a small appliance repair business before entering municipal politics, serving as a Ward 3 councillor across two terms before winning the mayoralty in 2013. He sought re-election on a record of advocating for rural infrastructure and coastal communities.

Matthew Chapman (Conservative) — Chapman was a teacher with fourteen years of classroom experience, having begun his career in Placentia before relocating to the metro region. He held a Bachelor of Physical Education, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership Studies, all from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Chapman approached the Conservative party as a volunteer and ultimately won the nomination.

Lea Mary Movelle (NDP) — Movelle grew up on the rural Burin Peninsula and described herself as a daughter of the fishery. She earned a degree in political science from Memorial University and entered the race as a progressive voice focused on affordability and the concerns of rural Newfoundlanders across the riding.

Greg Malone (Green Party) — Malone was one of the most recognizable figures in Newfoundland's cultural life, best known as a founding member of the CODCO comedy troupe, whose television series ran on CBC from 1988 to 1993. A graduate of Memorial University with an honorary doctorate from the same institution, he also authored the 2012 book Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders, a history of Confederation. He had supported Elizabeth May and the Greens since the 2008 federal election.

About the Riding

Avalon's character is split between suburban growth in the northeast and the quieter rhythms of fishing villages farther south. Conception Bay South has expanded steadily as a bedroom community for St. John's, with new residential subdivisions and commercial development along the Conception Bay Highway. The Southern Shore communities of Ferryland and Bay Bulls draw summer tourists to the Colony of Avalon archaeological dig and boat tours of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. By 2019, Newfoundland's offshore oil sector remained a major employer for riding residents who commuted to industry-related jobs, but the province's fiscal position was strained by the mounting costs of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project. Federal investment in rural infrastructure, coastal protection, employment insurance policy, and support for the fishery were central campaign themes across the riding.