Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia

Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia covers a broad swath of eastern Quebec, stretching from the south shore of the St. Lawrence River near Matane over the Chic-Choc Mountains to the Baie des Chaleurs and the New Brunswick border. The riding encompasses the regional county municipalities of Avignon, La Matapédia, La Mitis, and Matane, as well as the Mi'gmaq communities of Gesgapegiag and Listuguj. Nearly 96 percent of the population speaks French, with English (3.3 percent) and Mi'kmaq (0.6 percent) as the other principal languages. The drive from Matane to Parliament Hill takes over eight hours.

Candidates

Kristina Michaud (Bloc Québécois) was the incumbent, first elected in 2019 at age 26. She holds a bachelor's degree in international studies and modern languages from Université Laval and began a master's degree in international relations. One of the youngest members of Parliament at the time of her election, she served as the Bloc's critic for climate change, youth, and public safety.

Louis-Éric Savoie (Liberal) is from Nouvelle in the Baie-des-Chaleurs region. He grew up on a family dairy farm and later worked in commercial development in eastern Quebec. He initially became politically active with the Coalition Avenir Québec at the provincial level before seeking the federal Liberal nomination.

About the Riding

Matane, the riding's largest commercial centre, has developed a surprisingly varied economy. Seafood processing is a mainstay—the region's cold-water shrimp, known throughout Quebec as "les petites crevettes de Matane," sustain a significant processing industry. Les Fruits de mer de l'Est du Québec is one of the largest seafood plants in the Gaspé–Lower St. Lawrence region.

Wind energy has become a major economic driver. The Parc des Éoliennes Le Nordais, comprising roughly 80 turbines near Matane, is one of Quebec's largest wind farms, and the town is home to wind turbine manufacturing operations including Marmen Énergie. In 2020, the Bas-Saint-Laurent region earned $9 million from two wind parks, which was redistributed to MRCs and municipalities for local development. The former Enercon turbine tower factory in Matane was sold in late 2021 to a new solar and wind panel manufacturer.

The Matapédia Valley and the Baie des Chaleurs coast rely on forestry, agriculture, and tourism. Population decline and outmigration of young people have been persistent challenges, making job creation and economic diversification central issues in the 2021 campaign. Access to health-care services, particularly hospital staffing, and reliable high-speed internet in rural communities were also prominent concerns.