Sudbury

Sudbury is a northern Ontario riding centred on Greater Sudbury, a city of roughly 160,000 people shaped by its mining heritage. Nickel and copper operations run by Vale and Glencore remain major employers, while the city serves as a regional hub for healthcare, education, and government services across northeastern Ontario. NDP MPP Jamie West had held the seat since 2018, when he defeated Liberal incumbent Glenn Thibeault. During the 2022–2025 term, West served as the NDP’s shadow minister for labour, energy, and mines. His deep roots in Sudbury’s labour movement and strong constituency work made him the favourite for re-election, though the Progressive Conservatives mounted their strongest local challenge in years.

Candidates

Jamie West (NDP) — A former steelworker at Vale’s smelter in Sudbury, West served as president of the Sudbury and District Labour Council before entering politics. He holds degrees from both Laurentian University and Cambrian College and taught labour studies at Laurentian. He has nearly two decades of experience in workplace safety and workers’ rights advocacy.

Max Massimiliano (Progressive Conservative) — Born and raised in Sudbury, Massimiliano is co-owner of Don’s Pizza and is known locally for his family’s Regency Bakery. A first-time candidate, he said the ideology of fiscal responsibility drew him to the Progressive Conservatives. He ran a competitive campaign that closed the gap significantly from previous PC results in the riding.

Rashid Mukhtar Choudhry (Liberal) — Originally from Pakistan, Choudhry relocated to Canada in 2012 and later moved to Sudbury, where he operates a Pizza Pizza franchise. He decided to seek office after experiencing a more than 10-hour emergency room wait with his pregnant wife, describing the healthcare system as in crisis.

David Robinson (Green Party), Brady Legault (New Blue Party), and J. David Popescu (Independent) also ran.

Local Issues

The aftermath of Laurentian University’s 2021 insolvency continued to reverberate through Sudbury during the 2022–2025 term. The university had exited court-supervised restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in November 2022, but the scars remained deep. Dozens of academic programs had been eliminated and hundreds of faculty and staff positions cut. By 2023–2024, the institution was posting significant surpluses, a new president was installed in April 2024, and the financial recovery appeared on track, but several campus facilities remained closed and the long-term impact on Sudbury’s reputation as a post-secondary centre remained uncertain.

The city’s events centre saga entered a new chapter. After city council killed the controversial $215-million Kingsway Entertainment District project in 2022, council approved a new $200-million downtown event centre in April 2024. The facility, designed to replace the 74-year-old Sudbury Community Arena, would seat up to 5,800 for hockey and 7,200 for concerts. Construction management was underway, with completion targeted for 2028.

Healthcare capacity and the opioid crisis were persistent concerns. Health Sciences North, the region’s main hospital and a referral centre for northeastern Ontario, faced ongoing recruitment challenges for specialists. Candidates clashed over approaches to housing affordability, homelessness, and addiction services, with all three major party candidates identifying healthcare as the riding’s top issue.