Kings—Hants

Kings—Hants encompasses the agricultural heartland of the Annapolis Valley in central Nova Scotia, stretching from the eastern portion of Kings County through all of Hants County. The riding takes in the university town of Wolfville, the service centre of Kentville, the historic town of Windsor, and the fast-growing communities of Enfield, Elmsdale, and Lantz in East Hants near the Halifax commuter corridor. It is a riding of contrasts, blending a centuries-old farming landscape with some of the fastest-growing bedroom communities in the province.

The Annapolis Valley portion of the riding is defined by the North Mountain and South Mountain ridges flanking the valley floor, with the Bay of Fundy's dramatic tides along the northern coast at Cape Blomidon and the Minas Basin. Kings County alone supports over 600 farms, making it the agricultural core of Nova Scotia.

Candidates

Kody Blois (Liberal) was first elected in Kings—Hants in 2019 at the age of 28. He grew up in Belnan in Hants County and holds degrees in commerce, law, and public administration. Blois was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in Mark Carney's initial cabinet in March 2025, bringing a local focus to a portfolio of direct relevance to the riding.

Joel Hirtle (Conservative) is a municipal councillor for the Municipality of the County of Kings and a former tire builder at Michelin. He grew up on his grandparents' farm and resides in Coldbrook with his family. Hirtle secured the Conservative nomination more than a year before the election.

Paul Doerr (NDP) is a history professor at Acadia University in Wolfville, specializing in twentieth-century modern history. A longtime NDP supporter and former president of the Kings—Hants NDP riding association, he brought academic perspective to the campaign.

Karen Beazley (Green Party) is a landscape ecologist and professor at Dalhousie University's School for Resource and Environmental Studies, where she has also served as director. Born in Windsor, she has spent 25 years researching biodiversity conservation and environmental planning.

Alexander Cargill (People's Party) ran as the PPC candidate in the riding.

About the Riding

Agriculture is the economic backbone of Kings—Hants. The Annapolis Valley is famous for its apple orchards, but the farming economy has diversified to include wine grapes, berries, mixed vegetables, poultry, and dairy. The federal carbon tax and its impact on farm input costs—particularly for grain drying and barn heating—was a major local issue, with Blois having been the sole Liberal MP to support a Conservative opposition motion to exempt farm fuels from carbon pricing.

The threat of U.S. tariffs added urgency to agricultural concerns in 2025, as Valley farmers export significant volumes of produce and processed food to American markets. The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture called for enhanced revenue protection through the AgriStability program in the event of tariff-related income drops.

East Hants, at the opposite end of the riding, faces a different set of challenges tied to rapid suburban growth. Enfield and Elmsdale have become popular commuter communities for Halifax workers, driving demand for housing, schools, and transportation infrastructure. Wolfville and Acadia University anchor the riding's post-secondary and cultural life, while Windsor and Kentville serve as regional service centres. Healthcare access, particularly family physician availability, remains a concern across the riding.