Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes

Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes had been represented by Progressive Conservative Steve Clark since he won a by-election in 2010 to replace Bob Runciman, who had resigned to accept a Senate appointment. Clark had been re-elected comfortably in 2011, 2014, and 2018, and by 2022 he was serving as Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, one of the most consequential portfolios in the Ford government. The riding stretches roughly 100 kilometres along the St. Lawrence River and encompasses the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, as well as Brockville, Gananoque, Prescott, and Westport, with a population of just over 100,000.

With nine candidates on the ballot — the most of any riding in this group — Clark nonetheless entered as the heavy favourite in a riding with a long history of conservative representation.

Candidates

Steve Clark (Progressive Conservative) — First elected in a 2010 by-election, Clark served as the PC House Leader during the party’s time in opposition before being appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 2018. In that role, he oversaw the Housing Affordability Task Force and the government’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes over ten years. He also introduced the Municipal Modernization Program in 2019.

Josh Bennett (Liberal) — A Prescott-area native who grew up in Augusta Township, Bennett graduated from Queen’s University and completed a master’s degree at Royal Military College with a thesis on Canadian national security. He was active in the Brockville community, serving as president of the Rotary Club of Brockville and chair of the Brockville Santa Claus Parade.

Chris Wilson (NDP) — A Kemptville resident originally from Ottawa, Wilson was a businessperson and founder of a North Grenville men’s mental health group. He served as a board member for his local community association and the Ferguson Forest Centre.

Fiona Jager (Green Party) — A registered nurse, registered psychotherapist, professor of nursing, and small business owner from Gananoque. Jager campaigned on transforming healthcare delivery and addressing social determinants of health.

Daniel Kitsch ran for the New Blue Party, Glenn L. Malcolm for the Ontario Party, Mark Snow for the Libertarian Party, Stephen Ireland for the PPF, and Dave Senger for the People’s Political Party.

Local Issues

Healthcare access was a dominant concern throughout the riding. Brockville General Hospital was under significant strain, with its emergency department regularly seeing patient volumes that exceeded its intended capacity. Doctor shortages affected both urban and rural parts of the riding, leaving many residents without a family physician and increasing reliance on emergency rooms for primary care.

Housing costs had risen dramatically across the riding, with prices in communities such as Kemptville having roughly doubled over two to three years. As Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Clark had a direct connection to the provincial housing file, and the riding’s experience mirrored the province-wide affordability crisis that had become a central election issue.

Rural broadband connectivity remained a persistent infrastructure gap. A large portion of the riding lacked adequate high-speed internet access, hindering remote work, online education, and telehealth services. Tourism, a vital part of the local economy centred on the Thousand Islands and the Rideau Canal, was also recovering from pandemic-related disruptions.