Northumberland—Peterborough South

Northumberland—Peterborough South stretches along the north shore of Lake Ontario in central Ontario, roughly midway between Toronto and Kingston. The riding was created in the 2012 redistribution—drawn 77 percent from the former Northumberland–Quinte West riding, 13 percent from Durham, and 10 percent from Peterborough. It encompasses the Town of Cobourg, the Municipality of Port Hope, the Municipality of Trent Hills (including the village of Campbellford), the Municipality of Brighton, and the townships of Alnwick/Haldimand, Cramahe, and Hamilton, along with the townships of Asphodel-Norwood and Otonabee-South Monaghan in Peterborough County.

The riding's landscape moves from the Lake Ontario shoreline—with its sandy beaches, marinas, and heritage waterfronts—northward through rolling farmland and the Ganaraska Forest, one of the largest forested areas in southern Ontario at 12,000 acres. The Trent-Severn Waterway threads through the riding's northern communities.

Candidates

Philip Lawrence (Conservative) — Lawrence studied political science at Brock University before attending Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business, earning both a law degree and an MBA. He practised law with a focus on taxation and corporations, then joined one of Canada's largest financial institutions in 2008, becoming the third generation in his family to work in financial services. He and his wife Natasha, an occupational therapist, moved to a farm in Orono in 2013. First elected in 2019, he was appointed Shadow Minister of National Revenue.

Alison Lester (Liberal) — Lester operates a general legal practice in Cobourg with the firm Irvine, Lester & Low. She graduated from McGill University law school in 2005 with an LL.B. and a Bachelor of Civil Law and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2006. She served on the executive of the Northumberland County Bar Association for seven years, including two years as president, and was past chair of the Westben Festival Arts Theatre in Trent Hills.

Kim McArthur-Jackson (NDP) — McArthur-Jackson is an activist, parent, educator, and former financial adviser who has lived in the Northumberland area since 1990. She serves as co-chair of the Northumberland Coalition for Social Justice and focused her campaign on healthcare, green jobs, and accessible childcare.

Nathan Lang (PPC) — Lang ran as the People's Party of Canada candidate in the riding, advocating for the party's platform of fiscal responsibility and individual liberties.

About the Riding

Cobourg, the Northumberland County seat and the riding's largest community, sits on the lakeshore roughly 112 kilometres east of Toronto. Its restored Victorian downtown, world-class marina, and broad sandy beach have made it a popular destination for retirees and Toronto commuters seeking a slower pace of life. Port Hope, immediately to the west, is widely recognized for having one of the best-preserved main streets in Ontario, though the community has also contended with the legacy of historic low-level radioactive waste from early uranium processing.

Farther north, Campbellford and the Trent Hills communities straddle the Trent River and benefit from their position along the Trent-Severn Waterway. The Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge and the surrounding trail network draw hikers and cyclists to the area. Brighton, on the Lake Ontario shore, serves as a gateway to Presqu'ile Provincial Park, a significant migratory bird staging area.

The riding's economy blends agriculture, tourism, and a growing retirement and commuter sector. Northumberland County's farms produce a range of crops, and the region's culinary tourism—anchored by farm markets, butter tart trails, and local restaurants—has become an economic driver. The riding leans Conservative, with Lawrence's comfortable 2019 and 2021 victories following the pattern established by his predecessors. Housing affordability has emerged as a major concern as property values have risen sharply with the influx of urban buyers, and healthcare access—particularly the availability of family physicians—remains a persistent challenge across the riding's rural communities.