Chatham—Kent—Leamington

Chatham—Kent—Leamington is a southwestern Ontario riding anchored by two economic pillars: traditional agriculture in the Chatham-Kent heartland and a massive greenhouse industry centred on Leamington. The riding spans the communities of Chatham, Leamington, Wallaceburg, Tilbury, Blenheim, Ridgetown, Dresden, and Wheatley, as well as Pelee Island and Eelunaapeeewii Lahkeewiit (Delaware Nation at Moraviantown). The seat had been held since 2011 by Rick Nicholls of the Progressive Conservatives, but in August 2021 Nicholls was expelled from the PC caucus for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. He subsequently joined the Ontario Party, setting up an unusual three-way contest between a new PC candidate, the sitting independent MPP under a new banner, and the NDP.

Candidates

Trevor Jones (Progressive Conservative) — Jones was born in Leamington and studied political science and history at the University of Windsor, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. He spent sixteen years with the Ontario Provincial Police, serving in the Chatham-Kent and Essex County detachments and rising to the rank of sergeant. He also served as a Leamington town councillor from 2020 to 2022. He was nominated as the PC candidate in December 2021.

Brock McGregor (NDP) — McGregor, a lifelong Chatham-Kent resident, had served as a municipal councillor for Ward Six since 2014. During two terms on council, he advocated for regulations on payday lenders, investments in community infrastructure, and support for affordable housing. He was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in April 2022.

Rick Nicholls (Ontario Party) — Nicholls had served as the PC MPP for the riding since 2011. In August 2021, he was removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus after refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, citing personal reasons. He joined the Ontario Party and sought re-election under that banner.

Rhonda Jubenville (New Blue Party) — Jubenville was raised in Chatham and came from a family that operated a building supply and lumber yard for over four decades. Jennifer Surerus (Green Party) was a frontline support worker for nearly two decades who was also pursuing a Master of Social Work at York University. The Liberal candidate, Audrey Festeryga, withdrew from the race a week before election day amid a dispute over her nomination papers.

Local Issues

The agricultural economy was central to debate in the riding. Chatham-Kent’s agriculture and agri-food sector is valued at approximately four billion dollars, making the municipality one of Ontario’s leading producers of corn, soybeans, tomatoes, and sugar beets. The greenhouse sector in the Leamington area, comprising hundreds of acres of facilities, was expanding rapidly, but concerns about wastewater infrastructure, natural gas capacity, and the environmental impact of greenhouse development prompted Chatham-Kent council to impose an interim control bylaw on new greenhouse construction.

Healthcare was described as the single biggest concern for residents. Chatham—Kent—Leamington ranked among the top ten areas in Ontario for family physician shortages, and the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance faced ongoing challenges with emergency room wait times and specialist access. The COVID-19 pandemic further strained the local healthcare system and highlighted deficiencies in long-term care staffing.

Wheatley, home to one of the largest freshwater commercial fishing ports in the world, was rocked in 2021 when a downtown building exploded due to a gas leak, forcing the evacuation of the town core and displacing businesses and residents for months. Recovery from the Wheatley explosion was a significant local issue heading into the election.