Yellowhead

Yellowhead is one of the largest federal ridings in Alberta, covering more than 83,600 square kilometres of the province's western interior. The riding stretches from the mountain resort towns of Banff, Canmore, and Jasper in the Rocky Mountains eastward through the foothills to communities like Rocky Mountain House, Drayton Valley, and Evansburg in the aspen parkland. It takes in portions of Yellowhead County, Brazeau County, Clearwater County, the Municipal District of Bighorn, and part of Rocky View County. The riding's geography is strikingly varied — from the glaciated peaks and alpine valleys of Banff and Jasper National Parks to the boreal forests around Edson and Hinton, and onward to the rolling ranch country east of the foothills. The community of Evansburg, in Yellowhead County, lies near the riding's northeastern edge, while Banff sits at its southern extremity.

Candidates

Gerald Soroka (Conservative) — The incumbent MP, first elected in 2019 after winning the Conservative nomination to replace retiring MP Jim Eglinski. Soroka was born and raised in Evansburg, where his grandparents homesteaded in the 1930s. He farmed for most of his life before entering municipal politics, serving as a Yellowhead County councillor from 2004 to 2007 and then as mayor of Yellowhead County from 2007 until his election to Parliament. He also held positions as vice-president and president of West Central Forage and vice-president of the Alberta Forage Council.

Michael Manchen (PPC) — Born in Barrhead, raised in Innisfail, and residing east of Wabamun. Manchen has spent over 25 years working in the oil and gas industry and served as a fire and rescue member for 15 years. He and his wife Debbie built and operated a local gym and started a play school for young families in their community.

Guillaume Roy (NDP) — A Jasper resident and community organizer running for federal office for the first time. Roy previously served as director of the regional Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta and later became an administrator for Yellowhead Clean, an environmental organization. He was also involved with the Jasper Immigration Coalition, working to support newcomers in the mountain community.

Sheila Schumacher (Liberal) — A lawyer and grassroots political organizer based in Edmonton. Schumacher moved to Alberta from Montreal in 1973, attended the University of Alberta for philosophy and English literature, and later earned her law degree. She practised law in Edmonton and across northern and central Alberta for more than three decades. Though a longtime Liberal Party member and campaign volunteer, this was her first run as a candidate.

About the Riding

Yellowhead's vastness produces a riding of sharply contrasting communities. Banff and Canmore are internationally recognized tourism and outdoor recreation destinations, drawing millions of visitors annually to Banff National Park and the surrounding Kananaskis Country. Their economies depend heavily on hospitality, retail, and adventure tourism, and both communities face extreme housing affordability pressures driven by limited land supply within national park boundaries and the popularity of the region as a second-home market. Jasper, at the riding's northwestern corner within Jasper National Park, faces similar dynamics on a smaller scale.

The forestry towns of Hinton and Edson anchor the riding's central corridor along the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16). Hinton's economy is closely tied to pulp and paper manufacturing and lumber production, while Edson serves as a supply and logistics hub for forestry and oil and gas operations in the surrounding foothills. Yellowhead County — which includes both Hinton and Edson — has historically depended on resource extraction, and fluctuations in commodity prices directly affect local employment and municipal revenues.

Farther east, Drayton Valley and Rocky Mountain House represent the riding's oil and gas heartland. Drayton Valley, located in Brazeau County, was among the Alberta communities hardest hit by the post-2014 energy downturn, experiencing business closures and population loss as drilling activity declined. Rocky Mountain House, situated where the foothills meet the prairie, serves as an agricultural service centre and a gateway to the David Thompson Country tourism region.

The riding's enormous size creates particular challenges for service delivery. Residents in remote communities may travel hours to reach a hospital, and recruitment of healthcare professionals to smaller centres is an ongoing struggle. Internet and cellular connectivity are unreliable in many rural and mountainous areas. The riding also contains significant Indigenous populations, including communities along the foothills and in the boreal regions, where housing, clean water, and access to services remain pressing concerns.