London West

London West encompasses the northwestern portion of the City of London, Ontario, stretching from the Thames River northward and westward to the city limits. The riding takes in the established neighbourhoods of Byron and Lambeth, the growing residential communities of northwest London, and areas adjacent to Western University and Komoka Provincial Park. The Thames River and its surrounding parkland, including Springbank Park, bisect the riding, and London's Forest City character is evident in the mature tree canopy and green space that define many of its neighbourhoods.

Candidates

Arielle Kayabaga (Liberal) is the incumbent, first elected in 2021. Born in Bujumbura, Burundi, Kayabaga and her family came to Canada as refugees from the Burundian Civil War when she was 11, living in Montreal for a year before settling in London. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Carleton University and worked as a settlement worker for newcomers to London and Sarnia. In 2018, she was elected to London City Council at age 27, becoming the first Black woman to serve on council in the city's history. She chaired the Corporate Services Committee before entering federal politics.

Adam Benni (Conservative) is a mortgage broker with Mortgage Alliance who has been a long-standing member of the Conservative Party. He served as a riding captain during Pierre Poilievre's leadership campaign and helped organize local rallies. His campaign focused on public safety, job growth, and economic opportunity in London West.

Shinade Allder (NDP) is the president of Unifor Local 6005 and served as Unifor's Ontario Regional Council Chair, the first woman and first person of colour to hold that position. A single mother and first-time candidate, Allder co-founded the Black Education Fund and serves on the board of Unity Hopeful Charity. She has received the Platinum Jubilee Award, the International Woman Achievers Award, and the Leading Women Leading Girls Award.

Jeff Vanderzwet (Green Party) ran on a platform emphasizing environmental sustainability and community development.

Christine Oliver (United Party of Canada) also stood as a candidate.

Russell Benner (Canadian Future Party) also stood as a candidate.

About the Riding

London West has been a Liberal-leaning riding since 2015, and Kayabaga's 2025 victory with 56 percent of the vote extended that pattern. The riding benefits from its proximity to Western University and London's health-sciences corridor, which provide a stable base of professional and institutional employment. Byron and Lambeth, once semi-rural communities on London's periphery, have been fully absorbed into the city's suburban fabric, with young families drawn by relatively affordable housing compared to the Greater Toronto Area.

Housing affordability nonetheless became a central 2025 campaign issue, as London's population growth outstripped the pace of new construction. Rental vacancy rates dropped across the city, and rising home prices pushed many first-time buyers to the margins. Transit connectivity between London West's suburban communities and the city centre remained a frustration for residents dependent on cars in a city with limited public transit infrastructure.

The riding's demographic diversity -- one of the most significant in southwestern Ontario -- made immigration policy, settlement services, and anti-racism initiatives recurring campaign themes. US trade tensions added a layer of economic uncertainty, though London West's service-sector and institutional employment base insulated it somewhat from the direct tariff exposure felt in manufacturing-heavy ridings nearby.