Spruce Grove—Stony Plain

Spruce Grove—Stony Plain is a riding west of Edmonton, created during the 2017 electoral boundary redistribution from the abolished Spruce Grove–St. Albert and Stony Plain ridings to reflect rapid population growth in the region. It encompasses the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain, and portions of surrounding Parkland County. Highway 16A bisects the riding, with the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) forming the northern boundary. The Tri-Region area—Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Parkland County—had a combined population of approximately 87,000 and functioned largely as a commuter belt for Edmonton. The riding's predecessor, Stony Plain, had been won in 2015 by NDP MLA Erin Babcock, part of the historic sweep that brought Rachel Notley's government to power.

Candidates

Searle Turton (United Conservative) — A three-term Spruce Grove city councillor who served from 2010 until resigning to seek provincial office. During his municipal tenure, the city undertook several major infrastructure projects, including the Border Paving Athletic Centre and a new splash park. Before entering municipal politics, Turton worked in technology sales for Ricoh Canada and as a dual-ticket tradesman in construction. He also served as a director of the Spruce Grove public library board and chairman of the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre.

Erin Babcock (NDP) — The incumbent MLA for the former Stony Plain riding since 2015. A licensed practical nurse since 2006, Babcock had worked with elderly and stroke patients before entering politics. The daughter of a pipeliner in Alberta's oil industry, she grew up in communities across Western Canada. During her term, she advocated for the upgrade of provincial highways 779 and 628, the replacement of Stony Plain Central School, and expanded affordable housing through the Meridian Housing Foundation.

Ivan G. Boles (Alberta Party) — A local resident running under the Alberta Party banner in the newly created riding.

Jody Crocker (Alberta Independence) — The Alberta Independence Party candidate in the riding.

Local Issues

Transportation infrastructure was the dominant local concern. Highway 628, a 15-kilometre corridor between Campsite Road and Edmonton's western city limits, had seen rising traffic volumes from Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Parkland County commuters. Land purchases and utility relocations for the Highway 628 reconstruction were expected to begin in 2019, but the multi-year construction timeline left residents uncertain about when congestion relief would arrive. Highway 16A, the main east-west artery through both communities, also faced increasing pressure from suburban growth.

Healthcare and education were closely linked concerns in this suburban-rural riding. Residents sought assurances that school construction and classroom funding would keep pace with the growing population of young families settling in the area. MLA Babcock had secured provincial funding for the replacement of Stony Plain Central School, but parents and educators pointed to the need for additional school capacity as development continued.

The economic downturn in the oil and gas sector hit the Tri-Region hard, as many residents commuted to energy-sector jobs across the Edmonton metropolitan area. The provincial carbon tax was a frequent topic at doorsteps, with residents expressing concern about its impact on household costs in communities where long commutes made fuel expenses a significant part of family budgets.