Oxford

Oxford is a southwestern Ontario riding centred on the agricultural heartland of Oxford County, with its largest communities being the city of Woodstock, the towns of Ingersoll and Tillsonburg, and the smaller centres of Norwich, Tavistock, and Embro. Highway 401 cuts through the riding's centre, creating an industrial corridor anchored by the Toyota assembly plant in Woodstock and the CAMI (now GM-CAMI) plant in Ingersoll, making automotive manufacturing a critical economic driver alongside the county's deep agricultural roots in dairy farming, cash crops, and livestock.

Candidates

Arpan Khanna (Conservative)* is a lawyer who first won the riding in a June 2023 by-election following the retirement of longtime MP Dave MacKenzie. A former staffer for Jason Kenney and Ontario co-chair of Pierre Poilievre's 2022 leadership campaign, Khanna had previously run as a Conservative candidate in a Brampton riding in 2019. His by-election nomination was contentious, with local riding association officials resigning over concerns about the selection process. He was re-elected in 2025 with an expanded majority.

David Hilderley (Liberal) is a longtime Oxford County resident, retired educator with 34 years of teaching and administrative experience, and a real-estate professional of 17 years. He previously ran as the Liberal candidate in the 2023 by-election and in the 2011 provincial election, and once placed second in Woodstock's mayoral race. His platform emphasized farmland preservation, job creation, and environmental protection.

Matthew Chambers (NDP) is a lifelong Oxford County resident and custodian with the Thames Valley District School Board who works the midnight shift. A third-degree black belt karate instructor in Thamesford and active Kiwanis Club member in Ingersoll, he ran for the NDP in both the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Jacob Watson (Christian Heritage Party) stood as the Christian Heritage Party candidate in the riding.

Cheryle Baker (Green Party) represented the Green Party in the contest.

Steven Beausoleil (People's Party) ran for the People's Party of Canada.

About the Riding

Oxford County is a predominantly rural and small-city riding where agriculture and manufacturing coexist as economic pillars. The dairy industry has deep roots here--Oxford has long been known as Ontario's dairy capital--while cash crops including corn, soybeans, and wheat dominate the landscape between towns. The automotive corridor along Highway 401 provides thousands of manufacturing jobs at the Toyota and GM-CAMI assembly plants, along with a network of parts suppliers.

Woodstock, with a population exceeding 45,000 and growing rapidly, has attracted new residents drawn by relatively affordable housing compared to the Greater Toronto Area, transforming what was once a quiet county seat into a growing commuter and manufacturing centre. Ingersoll and Tillsonburg have similarly experienced population increases, with Oxford County's overall population projected to nearly double by 2061.

In 2025, US tariff threats loomed large in a riding where both agricultural exports and automotive manufacturing depend heavily on cross-border trade. The potential for disruption to the integrated North American auto supply chain was a particular concern for workers at the Toyota and GM-CAMI plants. Housing affordability, once a non-issue in Oxford County, became a growing pressure as GTA commuters pushed up prices. Healthcare access, including physician shortages in rural areas and long emergency room wait times, was a recurring theme throughout the campaign.