Prince Albert

Prince Albert is a federal riding centred on Saskatchewan's third-largest city, located on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River near the geographic centre of the province. Known as the Gateway to the North, Prince Albert has historically served as the last major urban centre before the boreal forest and northern communities. The riding extends beyond the city limits to include surrounding rural municipalities and smaller communities such as Melfort, Tisdale, Nipawin, and Kinistino, reaching into the parkland belt that marks the transition from prairie agriculture to the boreal forest.

The riding has a distinguished political history: three Canadian prime ministers—Wilfrid Laurier, Mackenzie King, and John Diefenbaker—represented Prince Albert in the House of Commons at various points.

Candidates

Randy Hoback (Conservative) was born in Prince Albert and first elected in 2008, making him one of Saskatchewan's longest-serving current MPs. Before entering politics, he worked for farm equipment manufacturer Flexicoil and later Case New Holland, then purchased the family farm in 2000. He served as chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association and represented the organization at World Trade Organization meetings. In Parliament, he has chaired the Standing Committee on International Trade.

Christopher Hadubiak (Liberal) is a first-time candidate and longtime volunteer swimming coach with the Regina Piranhas Summer Swim Club, where he has coached swimmers aged 4 to 16. He previously volunteered on a Liberal campaign in 2021.

Virginia Kutzan (NDP) spent 45 years working as a registered nurse and has been involved with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses since its founding in 1974. She was the first woman on the Workers' Compensation Act Committee of Review and served six years as president of the Prince Albert Carlton provincial NDP constituency association.

About the Riding

Prince Albert's economy is rooted in its role as a service hub for central and northern Saskatchewan, supporting the agricultural, forestry, tourism, and mining industries that drive the broader region. The city is also home to three correctional institutions—the Prince Albert Correctional Centre, Pine Grove Correctional Centre, and the Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary—making the justice and corrections sector a significant local employer.

Prince Albert National Park, located 51 kilometres north of the city, is a major tourism draw, and the surrounding boreal forest supports forestry operations. The agricultural hinterland to the east, including Melfort and Tisdale, produces grain, canola, and livestock.

The city has a large Indigenous population and has grappled with social challenges including poverty, addiction, and crime. Healthcare access, particularly physician shortages and wait times, has been a persistent concern. Heading into the 2025 election, trade tensions with the United States and their potential impact on the grain and resource sectors were central to campaign discussions, alongside affordability and rural infrastructure investment.