Sarnia—Lambton

Sarnia—Lambton, anchored by the city of Sarnia at the southern tip of Lake Huron where the St. Clair River meets the lake, had been a Progressive Conservative stronghold under MPP Bob Bailey since his first election in 2007. Bailey was seeking a fifth consecutive term in 2022 in a riding defined economically by its petrochemical industry. The area known as Chemical Valley, home to more than sixty chemical plants and oil refineries concentrated along the St. Clair River, is one of the densest clusters of industrial facilities in Canada and has shaped local politics for decades.

The riding attracted seven candidates, but Bailey’s incumbency and the riding’s conservative leanings made him the clear favourite heading into election day.

Candidates

Bob Bailey (Progressive Conservative) — Bailey was born in Petrolia and raised in the village of Oil City, in the heart of the riding. Before entering politics, he worked at NOVA Chemicals for more than thirty years, operating a crane for roughly twenty years before becoming a contract coordinator. He served as a councillor for the Township of Enniskillen before winning the provincial seat in 2007, defeating the riding’s Liberal incumbent.

Dylan Stelpstra (NDP) — Stelpstra, thirty-three, was born and raised in Sarnia and worked as a children’s services worker with the Sarnia-Lambton Children’s Aid Society. He served as local vice-president of his union for nearly ten years and campaigned on investing in local schools, improving seniors’ care, and strengthening social services.

Mark Russell (Liberal) — Russell is a Sarnia native who teaches computer programming and business courses at Lambton College. He served as chair of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee and ran for Sarnia city council in 2014.

Keith Benn (New Blue Party), Mason Bourdeau (Green Party), Carla Olson (People’s Political Party), and Ian Orchard (Ontario Party) also stood as candidates.

Local Issues

Environmental health and the impact of Chemical Valley on the surrounding community dominated local concerns throughout the 2018–2022 term. The Aamjiwnaang First Nation, whose territory is surrounded on three sides by more than sixty industrial facilities, reported higher rates of asthma, cancer, and miscarriages compared to provincial averages. Air quality studies found benzene concentrations approximately double Ontario’s air quality standards. In March 2022, a United Nations report identified the Aamjiwnaang community as a pollution sacrifice zone in Canada. Provincial environmental regulators faced criticism for inadequate enforcement and monitoring of emissions from the concentrated industrial operations.

Healthcare access was another significant concern in the riding. Sarnia-Lambton experienced a critical shortage of physicians, prompting the formation of a local physician recruitment taskforce. Like many communities across Ontario, the region’s hospitals struggled with staffing shortages that worsened during the pandemic, leading to concerns about emergency department closures and wait times. Residents in rural parts of Lambton County faced particular challenges in accessing primary care.

The economic transition facing Chemical Valley also generated debate. While the petrochemical sector remained the region’s largest employer, questions about the long-term future of fossil fuel-based industries and the potential for green energy investment shaped discussions about economic diversification and job security in the riding.