Whitby

Whitby is a fast-growing riding in Durham Region, east of Toronto, encompassing the town of Whitby along the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The riding has swung between Liberal and Conservative in recent elections and was one of the closely watched suburban battlegrounds in 2025. Liberal incumbent Ryan Turnbull held the seat, bucking the Conservative trend that swept much of the surrounding region.

Candidates

Ryan Turnbull (Liberal) -- First elected in 2019, Turnbull studied ethics and philosophy at Carleton University and built a career in social innovation, founding a management consulting firm focused on social enterprise. He developed businesses designed to employ federal offenders and help them reintegrate into society, and in Parliament he chaired the Social Innovation Caucus and sat on the Standing Committees on Finance and Industry.

Steve Yamada (Conservative) -- A Durham Region municipal councillor, Yamada brought local government experience to his federal campaign. He had served as a regional councillor focused on keeping taxes low, improving municipal transparency, and supporting housing development.

Kevin Goswell (NDP) -- A correctional officer of nearly eleven years and OPSEU union executive member, Goswell has lived in Whitby for sixteen years and in Durham Region for over three decades. He ran on a platform centred on addressing wealth inequality and supporting working- and middle-class families.

Andrew Di Lullo (Green Party) -- The Green Party candidate in Whitby.

Nouman Mian (Centrist) -- The Centrist Party candidate in Whitby.

About the Riding

Whitby has experienced significant population growth over the past two decades, transforming from a quiet lakeside town into one of the GTA's most sought-after suburban communities. New subdivisions have spread across former farmland, bringing young families attracted by relatively more affordable housing compared to Toronto, good schools, and easy access to Highway 401 and the GO Transit commuter rail network.

The 2022 federal redistribution adjusted the riding's boundaries, removing territory north of Highway 407 to the new riding of Pickering--Brooklin. Even with these changes, the riding retained its character as a diverse and growing suburb where commuter concerns, housing costs, and local infrastructure are top-of-mind issues.

In 2025, Whitby recorded one of the highest voter turnout rates in Durham Region. The contest between Turnbull and Yamada reflected the riding's competitive nature, with Turnbull's focus on social innovation and ethics contrasting with Yamada's emphasis on fiscal discipline and public safety.