Edmonton Riverbend

Edmonton Riverbend encompasses the southwest portion of the City of Edmonton, stretching from the North Saskatchewan River valley southward to the city's limits. The riding includes the residential areas of Riverbend, Terwillegar, Haddow, Hodgson, Magrath Heights, Windermere, Keswick, and portions of Heritage Valley. The North Saskatchewan River and its wooded valley form the riding's northern and northeastern boundary, while Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216) and the city's western limit define its western edge. The Terwillegar Park footbridge provides pedestrian access across the river to the city's west end. The riding is characterized by newer suburban development, with many of its communities built after 1990.

The riding had a 2021 census population of approximately 111,600. The community skews younger and more affluent than the Edmonton average, with a high proportion of university-educated professionals and young families. Riverbend is one of Edmonton's older established communities, dating to the early 1970s, while Terwillegar Towne was the first community in Edmonton planned and built using a New Urbanism design model, with all residential construction occurring after 1995.

Candidates

Matt Jeneroux (Conservative) — Born in 1980 or 1981, Jeneroux studied at the University of Alberta, graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts. He previously served as a Progressive Conservative MLA for Edmonton-South West from 2012 to 2015, making him the youngest government MLA at the time. First elected federally in 2015, Jeneroux served as the Conservative Shadow Minister for Health and was the first elected official to pass private members' legislation in both a provincial legislature and the House of Commons, with his Compassionate Bereavement Leave bill in 2021.

Tariq Chaudary (Liberal) — The Liberal candidate in the riding for the third consecutive election, having also run in 2015 and 2019. In the 2019 campaign, Chaudary placed second with approximately 23 percent of the vote.

Shawn Gray (NDP) — Born and raised in Edmonton on Treaty 6 Territory, Gray is a food security specialist and climate activist. He works to increase access to urban agriculture through his organizing with Waste Free Edmonton, a grassroots non-profit. Gray also teaches leadership skills to LGBTQ2AI+ youth through Rainbow Connection and Camp fYrefly.

Jennifer Peace (PPC) — Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Peace graduated from a Personal Support Worker program in 2000 and worked in various healthcare settings. She relocated to Edmonton in 2013, where she completed the Perioperative Program at Grant MacEwan University and the Bow Valley College Immunization Course.

About the Riding

Edmonton Riverbend was created in the 2012 redistribution from parts of the former Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont and Edmonton—Leduc ridings, and was first contested in 2015. The riding is one of Edmonton's most suburban in character, dominated by single-family homes in planned subdivisions with curving streets, cul-de-sacs, and neighbourhood parks. The Riverbend area proper, developed in the 1970s and 1980s, includes nine distinct communities on both sides of Terwillegar Drive. The Terwillegar and Windermere areas to the south and west represent more recent development, with contemporary home designs, energy-efficient construction, and neo-traditional planning principles.

The North Saskatchewan River valley is the riding's most significant natural feature. The river valley trail system provides extensive recreational opportunities, including hiking, cycling, and cross-country skiing. Terwillegar Park, a large off-leash dog park and natural area, is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the city.

The economic profile of the riding reflects its suburban, professional-class character. Many residents work in the energy sector, government, healthcare, or professional services, commuting to offices in downtown Edmonton or the university area. The riding's commercial amenities are concentrated in neighbourhood shopping centres and along major arterials like Terwillegar Drive and Rabbit Hill Road, rather than in a traditional main street configuration.

Transportation and traffic congestion were persistent concerns for residents. The Anthony Henday Drive ring road provided highway access, but rush-hour bottlenecks on Terwillegar Drive and at key interchanges were a daily frustration. Public transit service to the riding's newer southern communities was limited, and residents called for improved bus connections to LRT stations. School capacity in rapidly growing neighbourhoods was another recurring issue, with families in new subdivisions waiting years for permanent school facilities.