Malpeque

Malpeque is the central riding of Prince Edward Island, stretching from the North Shore to the South Shore and spanning eastern Prince County and most of Queens County. The riding covers approximately 1,663 square kilometres and includes the communities of Cornwall, Kensington, Borden-Carleton, North Rustico, Clyde River, Hunter River, and Miltonvale Park, along with significant stretches of agricultural land and the island's premier tourism corridor. The 2021 census recorded a riding population of approximately 38,535.

Candidates

Heath MacDonald (Liberal) was a private-sector executive with more than 20 years of experience in tourism, having served as Executive Director of Quality Tourism Services, Atlantic Canada Manager of Access Advisor, and co-founder of BamText Information Technology and Consulting. He was first elected to the provincial legislature in 2015, representing Cornwall—Meadowbank, and served as P.E.I.'s Minister of Economic Development and Tourism before being appointed Minister of Finance in 2018. MacDonald resigned his provincial seat in August 2021 to seek the Liberal nomination in Malpeque, succeeding retiring MP Wayne Easter, who had held the riding since 1993.

Jody Sanderson (Conservative) grew up on a farm in York Point and built a 22-year career in international banking with HSBC, working in Canada, Asia, and the Middle East. He returned to Prince Edward Island in 2019 and co-founded Sanderson Capital. Also a triathlete and hockey coach, Sanderson won the Conservative nomination over Renee Pastoor in a vote involving roughly 400 party members.

Anna Keenan (Green Party) was born in Australia, where she earned degrees in physics and economics. She spent five years as a campaigner with Greenpeace International in Europe before moving to Prince Edward Island with her Island-born husband. She served as president of the P.E.I. Green Party from 2016 to 2017, guiding the provincial party through a period of rapid growth. Keenan ran in Malpeque in 2019, tripling the Green vote and finishing second. She also served as the Green Party's national shadow critic for democratic institutions.

Michelle Neill (NDP) is a long-time federal public servant at the Canada Revenue Agency and served as the Atlantic director for persons with disabilities for the Public Service Alliance of Canada. With over 25 years of involvement in the public-sector labour movement, she lobbied the federal government on issues including affordable child care, pharmacare, and dental care. She lives in Oyster Bed Bridge and has been active in community volunteering with organizations including Mothers Against Drunk Driving and local sports associations.

Christopher Landry (People's Party of Canada) described himself as a father and tradesman. He declined media interview requests and did not attend the riding's candidate debate during the campaign.

About the Riding

Malpeque is Prince Edward Island's most economically diverse riding, blending agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and a growing suburban commuter population. The Town of Cornwall, located just west of Charlottetown, is one of the province's fastest-growing communities and functions as a bedroom suburb for the capital. Kensington, farther west, serves as a smaller agricultural service centre. Borden-Carleton, at the island's southern shore, is the Prince Edward Island landfall of the 12.9-kilometre Confederation Bridge to New Brunswick—the primary surface link between the island and the mainland. The bridge toll has been a recurring issue in the riding, with residents debating whether the federal government should reduce or eliminate it to lower the cost of goods and travel.

Agriculture is the backbone of the riding's rural economy. Prince Edward Island's iconic red-soil potato fields stretch across the landscape, and the riding is home to numerous dairy, grain, and mixed farming operations. The Malpeque oyster, harvested from Malpeque Bay on the North Shore, is renowned internationally and supports a local aquaculture industry. Lobster fishing and other commercial fisheries also contribute to the coastal economy, with processing plants providing seasonal employment.

The North Shore tourism corridor is a major economic driver. Cavendish, North Rustico, and the surrounding area attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each summer, drawn by the Prince Edward Island National Park, Green Gables Heritage Place—the farmstead linked to Lucy Maud Montgomery's novels—and a concentration of beaches, golf courses, and family attractions. Tourism-related businesses including accommodations, restaurants, and outfitters are significant seasonal employers.

The 2021 campaign was the first in nearly three decades without Wayne Easter on the ballot, opening a genuinely competitive race. Housing affordability was a central issue, with candidates debating how to accommodate the riding's growing population—particularly in Cornwall and Kensington—without consuming productive farmland. Health care access, including family doctor shortages, was another top concern. The riding's agricultural community was focused on federal support programs, trade policy, and the impact of the carbon tax on farm input costs. Balancing suburban growth, farmland preservation, and the seasonal tourism economy gave the riding a distinct set of policy challenges.