Nickel Belt

Nickel Belt is a sprawling Northern Ontario riding that wraps around the City of Greater Sudbury, taking in communities such as Lively, Chelmsford, Azilda, Val Caron, Val Thérèse, Hanmer, Capreol, Garson, Coniston, Onaping, and Levack. The riding has a significant francophone population and a deep connection to the mining industry. France Gélinas first won the seat for the NDP in 2007 and had increased her vote share in every subsequent election, reaching 63 percent in 2018. She entered the 2022 race as one of the most established incumbents in the province.

Candidates

France Gélinas (NDP) — Gélinas was born and raised in Shawinigan, Quebec, and trained as a physiotherapist before earning a Master of Business Administration from Laurentian University. She began her career at Sudbury’s Laurentian Hospital (now Health Sciences North) and went on to become executive director of the Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury. She has served as the NDP’s Health critic and Francophone Affairs critic since her election.

Randy Hazlett (Progressive Conservative) — Hazlett is a French River municipal councillor who was acclaimed as the PC candidate in March 2021. His campaign drew attention for his refusal to participate in public debates or grant media interviews throughout the election period.

Gilles Proulx (Liberal) — Proulx is an elementary school teacher with nearly 29 years of experience, employed as a gym teacher at École Jean-Paul II in Val Caron. It was his first attempt at seeking public office.

Melanie Savoie (New Blue Party), Glenys Babcock (Green Party), and Willy Schneider (Ontario Party) also ran.

Local Issues

The insolvency of Laurentian University cast a long shadow over the riding. In February 2021, Laurentian sought court protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act—an unprecedented move for a publicly funded Canadian university. The resulting cuts eliminated 69 programs and 194 positions, with estimates suggesting the local economy could lose up to $150 million. Over 60 percent of the university’s French-language programs were affected, a devastating blow to the Franco-Ontarian community in a riding with deep francophone roots.

Healthcare access in Northern Ontario remained a chronic concern. Gélinas, as the NDP’s longtime Health critic, pressed the government on staffing shortages at Health Sciences North, home-care waitlists, and the impact of competitive bidding on home-care services. The riding’s aging population and geographic distances between communities compounded the difficulty of delivering adequate care. Meanwhile, mining remained central to the local economy, with growing interest in critical mineral development and the potential to refine minerals closer to home rather than shipping them elsewhere.