Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston

Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston was guaranteed a new MPP for the first time since 2007. Randy Hillier, who had held the seat and its predecessor riding since that year, had been expelled from the PC caucus in March 2019 and sat as an Independent for the remainder of the term. In March 2022, Hillier announced he would not seek re-election. The riding takes in large swaths of rural territory west and south of Ottawa, including the growing towns of Almonte, Carleton Place, Smiths Falls, and Perth, as well as a portion of Kingston north of Highway 401.

With eight candidates on the ballot, the race drew considerable interest as the riding’s voters weighed healthcare access, rural broadband, and affordability as their top priorities.

Candidates

John Jordan (Progressive Conservative) — The former CEO of ConnectWell Community Health, a multi-sector organization with over 200 employees serving marginalized residents across the region. Jordan had spent more than 30 years in management, starting with a 16-year tenure in school board administration before leading the integration of three community health centres into ConnectWell. He retired from the organization in early 2022 to run for office.

Drew Cumpson (NDP) — Born and raised in the riding, Cumpson was an accessibility advocate who became a quadriplegic following an accident. He worked to help businesses become compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Amanda Pulker-Mok (Liberal) — An elementary school teacher and former Mississippi Mills town councillor living in Almonte. Pulker-Mok had also run in the riding in 2018 and campaigned on improving healthcare delivery through expanded roles for nurse practitioners and allied health professionals.

Marlene Spruyt (Green Party) — A former family physician who had served as Medical Officer of Health for both the Timiskaming Health Unit and Algoma Health Unit. Spruyt ran on a platform emphasizing climate action and public health.

Thomas Mulder ran for the Ontario Party, Marcin Lewandowski for the New Blue Party, Chelsea Hillier for the People’s Political Party, and Craig Timothy Massey Rogers as an Independent.

Local Issues

Healthcare was the most pressing issue across the riding. Doctor shortages, long wait times, and emergency room closures affected communities that were already far from major urban centres and their hospital networks. Attracting and retaining family physicians in rural areas was a challenge that all candidates acknowledged, as many residents lacked a primary care provider.

Reliable internet and cellular service remained a critical gap for the riding’s large rural population. The COVID-19 pandemic had underscored how essential broadband connectivity was for remote work, virtual healthcare, and online education. Despite federal and provincial commitments to expand rural broadband, many areas of Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston still had unreliable or unavailable high-speed internet access.

Housing affordability and supporting local businesses were also prominent issues. Towns like Carleton Place and Almonte were experiencing rapid population growth as families moved from Ottawa in search of more affordable housing, putting pressure on local infrastructure and services. Small business owners in the riding’s tourism-dependent communities were also recovering from the economic impacts of the pandemic.