Kenora—Rainy River

Kenora—Rainy River covers approximately 45,000 square kilometres of northwestern Ontario, making it one of the province’s largest ridings by area. It stretches from the Manitoba border in the west to the Minnesota boundary in the south, encompassing the municipalities of Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, and Rainy River, along with dozens of First Nations communities including Couchiching, Rainy River First Nation, Naotkamegwanning, and Grassy Narrows. Progressive Conservative Greg Rickford had won the seat in 2018 after transitioning from federal politics, where he had served as the Conservative MP for Kenora from 2008 to 2015 and held cabinet positions under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, including Minister of Natural Resources.

With a population of roughly 53,000 spread across a vast territory, the riding’s municipalities serve as regional centres for dozens of surrounding First Nations communities. The local economy has historically depended on forestry, but a transition was underway toward mining, tourism, and small business development.

Candidates

Greg Rickford (Progressive Conservative) — Before entering politics, Rickford worked as a nurse for nearly a decade in remote northern Indigenous communities, holding a diploma in Nursing from Mohawk College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria. He later earned law degrees from McGill University and an MBA from Université Laval, practicing Indigenous law. In the Ford government, he served as Minister of Northern Development, Minister of Indigenous Affairs, and Minister of Mines.

JoAnne Formanek Gustafson (NDP) — An elementary school educator from Couchiching First Nation living in Fort Frances, Formanek Gustafson held a Master of Education from Lakehead University. She served as vice-president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Rainy River Occasional Teacher local from 2016 to 2020 and was an anti-racism advocate.

Anthony Leek (Liberal) — An educator who worked for Seven Generations Education Institute as its Bachelor of Arts coordinator, Leek was a former municipal councillor in Emo. This was his third provincial campaign as a Liberal candidate in the riding, having previously run in 2011 and 2014.

Also running were Catherine Kiewning (Green Party), Kelvin Boucher-chicago (New Blue Party), Larry Breiland (Ontario Party), Richard A. Jonasson (Consensus Ontario), and Mi’azhikwan (Independent).

Local Issues

The legacy of mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows First Nation remained one of the riding’s most urgent concerns. Industrial dumping of mercury into the English-Wabigoon River system decades earlier continued to affect the health of community members, and while the federal government committed funding for a mercury treatment centre in 2020, community leaders expressed frustration at the pace of progress. The broader question of Indigenous land rights and mining claims on First Nation territories also generated tension, with Grassy Narrows seeking protections against mining activity on its traditional lands.

Homelessness and mental health services were acute concerns in the town of Kenora. A large majority of unhoused individuals in the community identified as Indigenous, underscoring the intersection of intergenerational trauma, inadequate housing, and limited access to addiction and mental health treatment. Residents identified increased social supports as a top priority heading into the election.

Economic diversification was a perennial issue across the riding. The forestry sector, which had sustained the regional economy for over a century, had contracted significantly, and communities like Dryden and Fort Frances were working to develop tourism, agriculture, and mining as alternative economic drivers. Mining exploration activity increased under the Ford government, but this brought concerns about environmental protection and Indigenous consultation.