Egmont

Egmont is Prince Edward Island's westernmost federal riding, covering the western portion of Prince County from the eastern edge of Summerside to the island's western tip at North Cape. The riding includes the city of Summerside—P.E.I.'s second-largest community—along with the towns of Kensington, O'Leary, Alberton, and Tignish, as well as Acadian communities in the Evangeline region. The 2021 census recorded a population of approximately 35,925.

Candidates

Bobby Morrissey (Liberal) was born in 1954 near Tignish and first entered politics as a provincial MLA in 1982, representing the districts of 1st Prince (1982–1996) and Tignish-DeBlois (1996–2000). During his provincial career he served as Minister of Transportation and Public Works and later as Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. After leaving provincial politics in 2000, Morrissey was active in community organizations including the Heart & Stroke Foundation of PEI and the Tignish Seniors Home Care Co-op. He was elected to the federal riding of Egmont in 2015, succeeding retiring Liberal MP Joe McGuire, and was re-elected in 2019.

Barry Balsom (Conservative) is the owner of Arlington Orchards, a well-known apple farm and country market near Freetown. A long-time Conservative volunteer who served as president of the Egmont Conservative Association, this was his first time running for office. Balsom was motivated by concerns over federal fiscal policy and pandemic spending, and was encouraged to run after discussions with Conservative leader Erin O'Toole.

Alex Clark (Green Party) is the owner and operator of Evermoore Brewing Co., a craft brewery in downtown Summerside. This was his second federal campaign for the Greens in Egmont, having placed third in the riding in 2019. Clark focused his campaign on environmental sustainability and supporting local small business.

Lisa Bradshaw (NDP) is a Summerside resident who has worked as a dental assistant and as an educational assistant with the Public Schools Branch, and who also operates a jewelry business. A community volunteer since 1985, she helped launch the Summerside Wellness Centre and has worked with organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society and Immigration Canada. She campaigned on pharmacare, dental care, and the NDP's plan to build 500,000 affordable housing units nationally.

Wayne Biggar (People's Party of Canada) is a Summerside-based real estate agent who has worked with Royal LePage for nearly a decade. Before entering real estate, he worked in the oil and gas industry in Alberta and British Columbia. Born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Biggar campaigned on reducing bureaucratic barriers in health care and restoring trust in government.

About the Riding

Egmont's economy is shaped by agriculture, fisheries, food processing, aerospace, tourism, and a significant public-sector presence. Summerside (population 16,001 in 2021) is the riding's urban anchor and Prince Edward Island's second city. The closure of CFB Summerside in 1989 initially devastated the local economy, but the former base was redeveloped into Slemon Park, a business and industrial park that became a hub for the aerospace and defence sector. Companies such as StandardAero, Honeywell, and Testori Americas operate out of Slemon Park, making aerospace P.E.I.'s fastest-growing industrial sector—a roughly $405-million-per-year industry supporting more than 1,300 jobs across the province. The federal Summerside Tax Centre, which processes the Goods and Services Tax, is the largest single employer within the city.

Agriculture remains central to the riding's identity, with potato farming, dairy operations, and mixed farming dominating the rural landscape. Cavendish Farms, located in New Annan just outside the riding's boundaries, is Prince Edward Island's largest private-sector employer and a major buyer of locally grown potatoes. The fishing industry—particularly lobster, crab, and oysters—supports processing plants and seasonal employment across the western shore.

The Evangeline region, centred on the communities of Wellington and Abram-Village, is the largest of Prince Edward Island's six Acadian and francophone regions. Approximately 47% of the Evangeline region's population speaks French, with 35% speaking it as a first language. The community of roughly 3,300 people supports French-language schools, a community college, and cultural institutions that preserve Acadian heritage.

Lennox Island First Nation, a Mi'kmaq community of approximately 450 on-reserve residents from a total band membership of over 1,000, is located on a 540-hectare island connected by causeway to the mainland overlooking Malpeque Bay. It holds the distinction of being the first reserve in Canada to be owned entirely by its people, with the land title transferred in 1878.

Summerside has been a leader in renewable energy, operating Canada's first municipally owned wind farm—four 3-megawatt Vestas turbines commissioned in 2009 that at times generate more than half of the city's electricity. Housing affordability, health care access, and doctor shortages were key issues during the 2021 campaign, alongside concerns about pandemic recovery and the future of seasonal industries dependent on temporary foreign workers.