Edmonton-South

Edmonton-South covers the capital city's rapidly expanding southern frontier, stretching from the Anthony Henday Drive corridor southward toward Highway 19. Created by the 2017 boundary redistribution, the riding encompasses newer suburban communities on Edmonton's outermost edge, where subdivisions continue to push into former agricultural land. The seat was left without an incumbent after sitting MLA Thomas Dang resigned from the NDP caucus in December 2021 following an RCMP investigation into unauthorized access to the provincial COVID-19 vaccine records portal. Dang subsequently sat as an independent, pled guilty to a Health Information Act charge, and did not seek re-election.

Candidates

Rhiannon Hoyle (NDP) — Born in Trinidad and Tobago before immigrating to Canada, Hoyle spent two decades working with nonprofits, community leagues, and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues on recreational facility development. She previously served as president of the Alberta Party before joining the NDP, and narrowly lost a 2021 Edmonton municipal council race in ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi by 33 votes. Her election made her the first Black woman elected to the Alberta Legislature.

Joseph Angeles (United Conservative) — A lawyer and co-founder of Angeles Law in Edmonton, Angeles was appointed as the UCP candidate after initial nominee Tunde Obasan withdrew for personal reasons in early April 2023. Born in the Philippines, Angeles had previously sought the UCP nomination in Edmonton-West Henday and was active in the Knights of Columbus and the Philippine Business Society of Alberta.

Local Issues

Infrastructure gaps shaped the political landscape in Edmonton-South between 2019 and 2023. Communities south of the Anthony Henday Drive continued to grow faster than public services could follow, with residents pressing for new schools, improved transit connections, and road upgrades to keep pace with housing construction.

The South Edmonton Hospital project was a focal point. Promised under the NDP and initially slated for a 2027 completion, the UCP government pushed the timeline back to 2030. Families in Edmonton-South, many of whom lacked nearby access to emergency or acute care, viewed the delays with alarm. The pandemic underscored these healthcare access concerns, as residents across the riding reported challenges finding family doctors and accessing timely testing and treatment during COVID-19 waves. Rising household costs, including escalating utility bills and grocery prices, also weighed on voters in this community of young families with new mortgages and long commutes.