Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound

Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound is a large, predominantly rural riding in southwestern Ontario stretching from the Bruce Peninsula south to the town of Hanover and east to the Blue Mountains area. The seat had been held by Progressive Conservative Bill Walker since 2011, but Walker announced he would not seek re-election in 2022. Within hours of his announcement, the Ontario PC Party named Rick Byers as the candidate for the riding, bypassing a local nomination contest — a decision that drew some criticism from local party members who felt the appointment undermined grassroots democracy.

The riding is characterized by agriculture, tourism, and small-town communities. Owen Sound, the largest urban centre, serves as a regional hub for healthcare, retail, and government services. The Bruce Peninsula attracts significant seasonal tourism, and the Bruce Power nuclear generating station in Tiverton is one of the region’s largest employers.

Candidates

Rick Byers (Progressive Conservative) — Byers spent his career in the infrastructure and pension investment sector, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of Borealis Infrastructure, the infrastructure division of the OMERS pension plan. He had deep ties to the local PC association, having served as president of the Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound Conservative and Progressive Conservative associations, and as campaign manager for Bill Walker’s successful 2018 re-election.

Selwyn J. Hicks (Liberal) — Hicks is a lawyer who served as a three-term warden for Grey County and deputy mayor of Hanover. He brought extensive municipal governance experience from his time on Hanover council, where he served from 2006 to 2022.

Karen Gventer (NDP) — Gventer is a resident of Grey-Bruce for more than twenty years who works for the Grey Bruce Health Unit. She also teaches with St. John Ambulance, serves as president of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 276, and is a trustee on the Grey Bruce Labour Council. She had previously run in the riding in 2018, finishing second.

Danielle Valiquette (Green Party) — Valiquette is a councillor for the Municipality of Grey Highlands and serves as council’s environment liaison. She lives on a farm outside of Ceylon in Grey County and had previously run for the federal Greens in 2019.

Minor candidates included Suzanne Coles (Ontario Party), Vince Grimaldi (New Blue Party), Joseph Westover (People’s Political Party), Joel Loughead (None of the Above Direct Democracy Party), and Reima Kaikkonen (Independent).

Local Issues

Rural healthcare was the most pressing issue in Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound. Smaller hospitals across the riding had been forced to reduce emergency room hours due to staffing shortages, and residents faced long waits and limited access to primary care. The severity of the family doctor shortage in rural Ontario was a persistent concern, and candidates debated solutions including hiring internationally trained health professionals, adding nursing and medical school spaces, and offering tuition coverage for medical students who commit to working in rural and remote communities.

Labour shortages extended beyond healthcare. Personal support workers, nurses, and early childhood educators were in critically short supply across the region. Bill 124, the provincial legislation capping public-sector wage increases, was widely blamed for making recruitment and retention in these fields more difficult. The NDP and Liberals pledged to repeal the bill, while the Greens called for significant pay increases for PSWs and nurses.

Housing affordability had become a growing concern even in this traditionally affordable rural region. The pandemic-era shift to remote work brought new residents from urban centres, driving up property prices in communities like Owen Sound, Meaford, and the Blue Mountains. Agricultural land use and environmental stewardship also featured in local debate, particularly around the balance between development pressures and protecting the region’s natural landscapes.