Guelph

Guelph has long been one of Ontario's most progressive-leaning ridings, returning Liberal members of Parliament in every election since 2004. With longtime incumbent Lloyd Longfield stepping down ahead of 2025, the riding saw a competitive open-seat race shaped by concerns over housing affordability, U.S. trade tariffs, and the local economy. Boundary changes for 2025 removed several southwestern neighbourhoods -- including University Village and Kortright Hills -- to the new Wellington--Halton Hills North riding, slightly reshaping the electorate.

Candidates

Dominique O'Rourke (Liberal)* -- A Guelph city councillor since 2018 representing Ward 6, O'Rourke holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Ottawa and a master's in leadership from the University of Guelph. Over a 25-year career in public and private sector communications and government relations, she founded her own consulting firm. On council she chaired the infrastructure, development, and enterprise committee and advocated for housing supports and government accountability. She was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate in July 2024 following Longfield's retirement.

Gurvir Khaira (Conservative) -- A University of Guelph alumnus who graduated with distinction in criminal justice and public policy, Khaira was pursuing a law degree at the University of Leicester during the campaign. He previously worked as a pre-board screening officer at Toronto Pearson Airport and in real estate. Originally from Brampton, he returned to Guelph in 2024 to contest the riding.

Anne-Marie Zajdlik (Green Party) -- Dr. Zajdlik is a family physician and regional HIV specialist with more than 30 years of medical practice. She founded the Hope Health Centre and the ARCH clinics, provincially funded HIV/AIDS treatment centres serving patients across southwestern Ontario. She also founded Bracelet of Hope, a charity that raised over one million dollars for HIV/AIDS relief in Lesotho.

Janice Folk-Dawson (NDP) -- A Guelph resident for more than 35 years, Folk-Dawson is a veteran labour organizer who served as president of CUPE Local 1334 at the University of Guelph, president of the Guelph District Labour Council, and executive vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Labour. She was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in 2023.

Jeffrey Swackhammer (People's Party - PPC) -- The People's Party candidate in Guelph.

Elaine Baetz (Marxist-Leninist) -- The Marxist-Leninist Party candidate in Guelph.

About the Riding

Guelph is a mid-sized city of roughly 140,000 people situated about 100 kilometres west of Toronto. The University of Guelph anchors the local economy and gives the riding a significant student population, while the broader region supports a mix of agri-food businesses, advanced manufacturing, and technology firms. The city's compact urban form and strong environmental ethos have historically made it fertile ground for both Liberal and Green candidates.

Heading into the 2025 election, housing affordability dominated public debate. A 2024 city survey found that one in three Guelph residents identified housing costs as the single most important issue facing the community, with over half reporting a decline in quality of life due to affordability pressures. Candidates clashed over competing approaches to homebuilding, with proposals ranging from federal incentives for construction to stricter regulation of speculative investment.

The threat of U.S. tariffs also loomed large in a city whose economy is closely tied to cross-border trade and agricultural exports. At candidate forums, voters pressed for details on how each party would protect local jobs and supply chains in the event of an escalating trade conflict with the United States.