Cape Spear

Cape Spear is a newly renamed federal electoral district in the St. John's metropolitan area, previously known as St. John's South—Mount Pearl. The riding includes the south end of the City of St. John's, the City of Mount Pearl, the Town of Paradise, and the Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove. Named after the most easterly point in North America, the riding is home to approximately 80,000 residents. Following the 2022 redistribution, the riding gained the full Town of Paradise from the former Avalon riding while ceding the communities of Witless Bay, Bay Bulls, and the Goulds to Avalon.

As a largely urban and suburban riding in the capital region, Cape Spear's population skews younger and more diverse than many Newfoundland ridings, with significant residential development in Paradise and Mount Pearl over the past two decades. Outgoing Liberal MP Seamus O'Regan chose not to seek re-election, leaving the newly configured seat as an open race.

Candidates

Tom Osborne (Liberal) is Newfoundland and Labrador's longest-serving MHA, having represented the provincial district of Waterford Valley for nearly three decades. Over that time he held cabinet portfolios including Finance, Health, Education, and Justice under both Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments. Osborne announced his retirement from provincial politics in mid-2024 before entering the federal race.

Corey Curtis (Conservative) is a Paradise resident and vice-president of marine fleet operations at Oceanex Inc., with over two decades of experience in the marine and offshore energy sector, including more than a decade with Husky Energy. Born in Lewisporte, Curtis studied marine engineering at the Marine Institute and was pursuing a master's degree in maritime management at Memorial University.

Brenda Walsh (NDP) spent nearly 30 years working for Service Canada, helping people file for pensions and employment insurance, and has a long history in organized labour. A wheelchair user, Walsh campaigned on disability rights, affordable housing, and food security, drawing on her own experience living in co-operative housing.

Kaelem Tingate (Green Party) is a Memorial University student and the youngest candidate in the riding, who ran to provide a voice for younger generations on issues like the cost of living and climate change.

Mike Peach (Animal Protection Party) is an animal liberation activist, academic tutor, and content developer from Mount Pearl who has been involved with the Animal Save Movement and street outreach for animal rights.

About the Riding

Cape Spear takes its name from the iconic headland southeast of St. John's, the easternmost point in North America and home to both a historic and a modern lighthouse. The riding itself is predominantly urban and suburban, stretching from the established neighbourhoods of south St. John's through the commercial and residential areas of Mount Pearl and into the rapidly growing Town of Paradise.

Mount Pearl, once an independent municipality, has developed into a self-contained city with its own commercial core, while Paradise has been one of the fastest-growing communities in Atlantic Canada for over a decade. Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, by contrast, retains the character of a traditional Newfoundland fishing village just minutes from the urban centre.

The offshore oil and gas industry is a major economic driver for residents of the riding, with many workers commuting to offshore platforms or employed in related support services onshore. The 2025 campaign was shaped by concerns over affordability, with candidates noting that a record number of local businesses had closed and that housing costs had risen sharply. Regulatory changes affecting the offshore industry over the preceding decade were also a frequent topic, alongside the threat posed by U.S. tariffs to the province's export-dependent economy.