Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills

Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills was a sprawling northeastern Alberta riding created in the 2010 boundary redistribution. It encompassed the towns of Lac La Biche, St. Paul, Two Hills, and Elk Point, along with several First Nations reserves and Metis settlements. The riding had significant francophone, Ukrainian, and Metis populations reflecting the diverse settlement history of this part of the province. The area straddled the transition zone between the agricultural parkland to the south and the boreal forest and oil sands operations to the north. The incumbent Wildrose MLA Shayne Saskiw, elected in 2012, announced in March 2015 that he would not seek re-election, saying he was disillusioned with politics after watching eleven colleagues cross the floor to the PCs.

Candidates

David Hanson (Wildrose) — Hanson brought over 37 years of experience in the construction industry, working in both the commercial and oil and gas sectors. He had served as a foreman, superintendent, and most recently as a consultant and construction inspector for a major Alberta oil and gas company.

Catherine Harder (NDP) — Harder ran as the NDP candidate in a riding that had not historically been friendly territory for the party.

Darrell Younghans (Progressive Conservative) — Younghans carried the PC banner in the riding, seeking to recapture a seat the PCs had held for decades before losing it to the Wildrose in 2012.

Brian Deheer (Green Party) — Deheer, a Lac La Biche resident and chairperson of the Athabasca Watershed Council, ran as the Green Party candidate.

Local Issues

The riding's proximity to the oil sands made energy development a defining issue. Lac La Biche County hosted several in-situ oil sands projects, including operations by Canadian Natural Resources, with environmental assessments for expansion projects proceeding through 2014 and 2015. The oil price collapse threatened the viability of some of these projects and raised concerns about employment in a region where many residents depended on oil sands-related work, whether in construction, transportation, or support services.

Agriculture remained vital in the southern portions of the riding around St. Paul, Two Hills, and Elk Point, where mixed farming operations contended with commodity price fluctuations and the challenges of marketing grain and livestock from a relatively remote area. Health care access was a significant concern across the riding, as residents in smaller communities often faced long drives to reach hospitals and specialists. Infrastructure needs, including road maintenance for routes bearing heavy industrial traffic and improvements to broadband internet service in rural areas, were also prominent issues heading into the election.