West Yellowhead

West Yellowhead is a vast, geographically diverse riding in northwestern Alberta, stretching from the Rocky Mountain gateway community of Jasper through the foothills towns of Hinton and Edson to the forestry centre of Whitecourt and the northern community of Grande Cache. The riding encompasses Jasper National Park, extensive tracts of boreal forest, and the resource-extraction corridors that have sustained the regional economy for decades. NDP MLA Eric Rosendahl, who won the seat in 2015, announced in March 2019 that he would not seek re-election, citing his approaching 70th birthday and a desire to spend more time closer to home. His departure left the riding open for the first time since the NDP's historic majority.

Candidates

Martin Long (United Conservative) — Originally from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Long settled near Whitecourt in Woodlands County. He worked for nine years as an operator at the Alberta Newsprint Company pulp and paper mill in Whitecourt and also worked extensively at drill sites for oil and gas companies. He holds a Class III power engineering certificate. A community volunteer, he served as chair of Tennille's Hope Community Kitchen in Whitecourt and as a youth leader with the Whitecourt Baptist Church.

Paula Cackett (NDP) — A Jasper-born Hinton nurse who was named as the NDP's replacement candidate after Rosendahl's withdrawal. Born and raised in Jasper, Cackett was raising her family there and emphasized her first-hand understanding of the tourism industry's importance to the riding. She campaigned on healthcare investment, the NDP's $25-a-day childcare program, and support for public education.

Kristie Gomuwka (Alberta Party) — A fourth-generation West Yellowhead resident who has lived in both Edson and Whitecourt. Gomuwka has worked as a social worker since 1993 and serves as a director of the Edson Friendship Centre. She ran for school trustee with the Grande Yellowhead Public School District in October 2017.

Paul Lupyczuk (Alberta Advantage) — The Alberta Advantage Party candidate in the riding.

Travis Poirier (Alberta Independence) — The Alberta Independence Party candidate in the riding. At a candidates forum in Jasper, Poirier introduced himself as not a politician and said his party fights to increase Alberta's independence within the Canadian confederation.

David Pearce (Independent) — An independent candidate in the riding.

Local Issues

The forestry and resource sector's future dominated the campaign in West Yellowhead. The riding's economy depends heavily on pulp mills, sawmills, coal mines, and oil and gas operations. The Alberta Newsprint Company mill in Whitecourt, West Fraser's operations near Hinton, and the Coal Valley Mine south of Edson were all major employers. Residents worried about the long-term viability of thermal coal mining as global demand declined and environmental reviews intensified. Coalspur Mines' proposed expansion of its Vista open-pit thermal coal mine near Hinton had drawn environmental scrutiny, and the tension between resource jobs and environmental protection was a recurring theme at candidates forums.

At an April 2019 candidates forum in Jasper hosted by the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, residents grilled candidates on the environment, tourism, education, and healthcare. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion—part of which already runs through the Jasper area—sparked debate, with audience members asking candidates how they could support the project. Tourism operators in Jasper and Hinton expressed concern about protecting the national park's brand and natural environment while also supporting the resource extraction that sustained communities further down the highway.

Healthcare access in the riding's scattered communities was a persistent concern. Residents of Grande Cache, Edson, Hinton, and Jasper all faced long travel times to reach major hospital services in Edmonton, and local clinics struggled with physician recruitment. Supporters of the NDP pointed to investments in rural healthcare during the government's term, while critics argued that more needed to be done to attract and retain doctors and nurses in remote communities.