Lanark--Frontenac

Lanark--Frontenac stretches across a vast swath of eastern Ontario's rural interior, from the outskirts of Ottawa westward through Lanark County and southward through the townships of Frontenac County. The riding takes in the heritage towns of Perth, Carleton Place, and Smiths Falls, the lake communities of Sharbot Lake and Westport, and the townships of North, Central, and South Frontenac, Drummond/North Elmsley, Tay Valley, Lanark Highlands, Mississippi Mills, and Beckwith. Highway 7 runs roughly through its centre, linking the riding's scattered communities. The landscape transitions from the limestone plains of the south to the Canadian Shield in the north, with hundreds of lakes, the Mississippi and Rideau rivers, and extensive Crown forest. Lanark County bills itself the Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario.

Candidates

Scott Reid (Conservative) is the incumbent and one of the longest-serving MPs in Ontario, first elected in 2000 as a Canadian Alliance member in the riding of Lanark--Carleton. A graduate in political science and law, Reid served as chief constitutional advisor to Reform Party leader Preston Manning and taught history at the University of Western Sydney in Australia before entering politics. He was a lead negotiator in the merger talks that created the Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. He was elected Chair of the Conservative Caucus in 2021. Reid is the author of two books and a member of the board of directors of Giant Tiger Stores, the family business.

Michelle Foxton (Liberal) is a lawyer practising in Kingston, focusing on wills, estates, and property law, and a former per diem Crown Attorney. A lifelong Frontenac County resident, she was elected as the youngest township councillor in South Frontenac and helped the community navigate the ice storm of 1998. She graduated with honours from Queen's University and earned her law degree from the University of Windsor. In 1993, she became the first female member of the Fort Henry Guard since its establishment in 1938. She also ran in the riding in 2021.

Danielle Rae (NDP) is a legal assistant and political science graduate from the University of Ottawa and McGill University, where she focused on Middle Eastern politics. A Pakenham resident, Rae is a first-time candidate who was approached by the NDP riding association to run. Her campaign focused on housing affordability, an issue she cited from personal experience.

Jesse Pauley (Green Party) ran on a platform emphasizing environmental stewardship and rural sustainability.

About the Riding

Lanark--Frontenac's economy rests on agriculture, tourism, small-scale manufacturing, and the public sector. Dairy, beef, and maple syrup production sustain the agricultural base, while the riding's abundance of lakes and outdoor recreation areas draws seasonal residents and tourists. Smiths Falls has attracted new economic activity as the headquarters of Canopy Growth, though the cannabis industry's financial turbulence tempered early optimism. Perth and Carleton Place serve as commercial hubs, and many residents commute to Ottawa for employment.

Rural health care was a pressing concern in 2025. Small-town hospitals and clinics across Lanark and Frontenac counties struggled with physician shortages and emergency-room closures, forcing residents to travel long distances for basic care. Broadband internet access remained uneven despite federal and provincial investment programs, limiting economic opportunity in more remote parts of the riding. The cost of living, particularly home heating and property taxes, weighed on households with incomes below the provincial median.

The 2025 race between Reid and Foxton was one of the closest in the riding's history, reflecting a competitive dynamic unusual for a traditionally safe Conservative seat. The Liberal surge under Mark Carney narrowed what had been comfortable margins in previous elections, and voter turnout reached nearly 75 percent.