Bay of Quinte

Bay of Quinte is an eastern Ontario riding centred on the body of water separating Prince Edward County from the mainland. The constituency encompasses Prince Edward County, the city of Quinte West — which includes the former town of Trenton — and the portion of Belleville south of Highway 401, combining military installations, agricultural land, a growing tourism economy, and small-city urban centres.

Candidates

Neil Ellis (Liberal) — The incumbent MP since 2015, Ellis was born and raised in Belleville and operated a local business for nearly three decades before entering public life. He served two terms as mayor of Belleville from 2006 to 2014, guiding the Build Belleville initiative that pursued twenty-two infrastructure projects. In Parliament, he chaired the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Tim Durkin (Conservative) — A sports broadcaster and on-air personality with Quinte Broadcasting, Durkin was born and raised in Tyendinaga Township and educated at Loyalist College. He also served as the game-night host for the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League and was active in community volunteerism, supporting the Belleville General Hospital Foundation, Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation, and Gleaners Food Bank.

Stephanie Bell (NDP) — A Prince Edward County resident based in Picton, Bell had been a candidate in two previous municipal elections. She had travelled internationally to learn about different communities and cultures, and focused her campaign on affordable housing, local transit, and long-term care.

Danny Celovsky (Green Party) — A retired data engineer holding a Bachelor of Science from Trent University and a master's degree from the University of Saskatchewan, Celovsky resided in Picton. He entered the race motivated by the urgency of climate action and the transition to green energy.

Paul Bordonaro (People's Party) also ran in the riding.

About the Riding

The economic anchor of Bay of Quinte is 8 Wing/Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Canada's largest air force base and the largest employer in the Quinte region, with thousands of military and civilian personnel on its payroll. The base's presence shaped the riding's identity and provided economic stability through both direct employment and the spending of service members and their families in surrounding communities. Beyond the military, Belleville's economy drew on manufacturing, healthcare, and education, with Loyalist College serving as a major institutional employer. Prince Edward County had emerged as a destination for wine tourism and artisanal food production, with dozens of wineries operating under Ontario VQA appellation status. The tourism boom brought seasonal revenue but also generated friction around short-term rentals, rising property values, and pressure on rural roads. Healthcare access was a significant local concern, as the region's hospitals — Belleville General and Trenton Memorial — faced capacity pressures, and specialist care often required travel to Kingston or Toronto. The 2019 contest was expected to be close, as Durkin sought to turn the riding blue in a region with competitive Liberal-Conservative dynamics.