Acadie—Bathurst

Acadie—Bathurst stretches across the northeastern tip of New Brunswick, encompassing the Acadian Peninsula and the shores of Chaleur Bay and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The riding's population of 79,581 is spread across communities including the city of Bathurst (population 12,157), the fishing towns of Caraquet, Shippagan, and Tracadie, and dozens of smaller coastal villages. Over 82% of residents speak French as their first language, making Acadie—Bathurst the most Francophone riding outside Quebec. Founded largely by Acadian settlers who returned after the 18th-century Expulsion, these communities retain deep cultural roots visible in annual events like the Caraquet Acadian Festival.

The riding's median age of 51.2 is the highest in New Brunswick, reflecting decades of youth outmigration driven by limited economic opportunity. Average individual income sits at roughly $35,600—well below the national average. Only about 1% of residents are immigrants, and approximately 4% identify as Indigenous.

Candidates

Serge Cormier (Liberal) Born and raised in Maisonnette, Cormier is the son of an inshore fisherman. He financed his business administration studies by acquiring a small company, then served as chief of staff to several New Brunswick government ministries covering human resources, tourism, and the Francophonie. First elected in 2015, Cormier served as parliamentary secretary to multiple federal ministers, including those responsible for Fisheries and Oceans, Immigration, and National Defence. He was re-elected in 2019 and sought his third term in 2021.

Jean-Paul Lanteigne (Conservative) A veteran conservative activist at 72 years old, Lanteigne had been involved in the party since his adolescence during Richard Hatfield's leadership of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives in the late 1960s. His campaign priorities included economic development, addressing labour shortages faced by local businesses, and promoting green energy projects in the region.

Mélissa Hébert (NDP) A civil engineering technologist and self-described proud Acadian, Hébert campaigned on standing up for working people in northeastern New Brunswick.

About the Riding

The fishing industry is the economic backbone of Acadie—Bathurst. The Acadian Peninsula is home to one of Atlantic Canada's largest inshore fishing fleets, with more than 40 commercially harvested species including lobster, snow crab, shrimp, and herring. Caraquet serves as the home port of a major Atlantic fleet and hosts a fisheries school, boatbuilding facilities, and numerous fish- and crab-packing plants. In August 2021, the federal government announced a $25 million investment in harbour infrastructure renewal across the riding—upgrading wharves, breakwaters, and docking facilities that underpin the entire coastal economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the riding's seafood processing sector hard. In June 2021, Ottawa directed $5.6 million through the Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund to 13 processing operations in northeastern New Brunswick, helping them acquire new equipment and modify facilities to protect workers. Additionally, the federal and provincial governments jointly funded 26 fish and seafood processing projects across New Brunswick to support the industry's recovery.

Beyond fishing, the riding has suffered a series of industrial blows. The 2019 closure of the Glencore-owned Brunswick Lead Smelter in Belledune eliminated 420 jobs and cost the village roughly $800,000 in annual tax revenue—16% of its budget. That closure marked the third major plant shutdown in the Chaleur region in 15 years, with a combined loss of approximately 2,000 trades jobs. Bathurst's economy, once anchored by mining and forestry, has diversified into call centres, government services, and tourism, but employment remains fragile. The riding faces an aging workforce, chronic labour shortages in seasonal industries, and the ongoing challenge of retaining young graduates who leave for larger centres in southern New Brunswick or beyond.