Kenora--Kiiwetinoong

Kenora--Kiiwetinoong is one of Canada's largest federal electoral districts, covering approximately 255,000 square kilometres of northwestern Ontario from Lake of the Woods to Hudson Bay. The riding includes the cities of Kenora and Dryden, the towns of Red Lake and Sioux Lookout, and dozens of First Nations communities, many of which are accessible only by air. Conservative Eric Melillo won a third consecutive term in the 2025 election, building on growing support since his initial breakthrough in 2019.

Candidates

Eric Melillo (Conservative) * Born in 1998, Melillo was the youngest member of both the 43rd and 44th Parliaments and the first Generation Z MP elected to the House of Commons. A graduate of Beaver Brae Secondary School in Kenora, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Lakehead University, receiving his degree just four days after winning his first election in 2019 at age twenty-one. Before entering politics, he worked at the Northern Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank in Thunder Bay, and served as campaign manager for Kenora--Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford. He served in the Conservative shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister for Northern Affairs.

Charles Fox (Liberal) Fox is a member of Bearskin Lake First Nation and was born in Sioux Lookout. He served as Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, the political organization representing forty-nine First Nations across northern Ontario. He dedicated his career to championing Indigenous rights and welfare. He ran on a platform of ensuring every voice in the vast riding is heard in Ottawa.

Tania Cameron (NDP) Cameron is a member of the Niisaachewan Anishinabe Nation and works as the chief executive officer of the Wiigwas Elders and Senior Care home in Kenora. A veteran NDP candidate, she previously ran in the 2008 and 2011 federal elections. She focused her campaign on mobilizing First Nations voters and addressing healthcare and infrastructure gaps in remote communities.

Jon Hobbs (Green Party) Hobbs is a retired architect and planner who previously ran an architecture practice in Peterborough and served as executive director of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Now living near Sioux Narrows on Lake of the Woods in a solar-powered house, he is an environmental and climate change advocate focused on issues like recycling and reducing plastic waste.

Bryce Desjarlais (People's Party - PPC) Desjarlais ran as the People's Party candidate in the riding.

Kelvin Boucher-Chicago (Independent) Boucher-Chicago ran as an independent candidate.

About the Riding

Kenora--Kiiwetinoong is defined by its immense geography and the challenge of connecting far-flung communities. The riding encompasses boreal forest, Canadian Shield, and subarctic tundra, with a population of approximately 60,000 people spread across an area larger than many countries. Many First Nations in the riding's northern reaches rely on winter roads or air transport for supplies and travel, and infrastructure deficits including clean drinking water, housing, and broadband internet have been persistent issues.

The economy is driven by mining, forestry, tourism, and government services. Kenora and the Lake of the Woods area draw seasonal tourists, while Dryden and Red Lake are centres for forestry and mining operations respectively. First Nations communities form a significant portion of the riding's population, and Indigenous issues including self-governance, healthcare, and reconciliation are central to local political discourse.

In 2025, accessibility remained a defining challenge, with campaign visits to remote fly-in communities costing tens of thousands of dollars. Melillo's steady growth in support across three elections reflected his focus on northern economic development and his increasing familiarity with the riding's diverse communities.