Hastings—Lennox and Addington

Hastings—Lennox and Addington is a large rural riding in eastern Ontario stretching from Lake Ontario north through Amherstview, Napanee, and Tweed to the communities of Bancroft and beyond. Progressive Conservative Ric Bresee won the seat in 2022, succeeding retired MPP Daryl Kramp, and spent the term focused on rural infrastructure and long-term care. The riding's population skews older than the provincial average, with lower-than-average incomes and an economy shaped by agriculture, tourism, and small-town commerce. Derek Sloan, the former federal Conservative MP who leads the Ontario Party, returned for a second provincial contest after finishing fourth in 2022, once again positioning himself as a right-wing alternative to the Progressive Conservatives.

Candidates

Ric Bresee (Progressive Conservative) — The incumbent MPP, Bresee was born and raised in Amherstview. He graduated from St. Lawrence College as a Business Systems Analyst and spent nearly two decades working at the college in technology and instruction roles. He served on Loyalist Township council for 22 years, including terms as councillor, deputy mayor, and mayor, during which he facilitated the development of the Loyalist East Business Park.

Lynn Rigby (Liberal) — A specialized hospital physiotherapist in Kingston, Rigby was also a long-time resident and family farm owner in the Stone Mills area of the riding. A widow and mother of three, including a son in the military, she campaigned on health care, infrastructure investment, and better support for rural schools and farmers.

Jessica Zielke (NDP) — An administrator in an office of mental health professionals, Zielke grew up in Northbrook and Tweed before living abroad in Australia and Japan. She returned to the riding to raise her family, and she studied sociology at Queen's University. She had volunteered extensively with school councils and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.

Derek Sloan (Ontario Party) — The leader of the Ontario Party and a lawyer, Sloan previously served as the federal Conservative MP for the riding from 2019 to 2021 before being removed from the Conservative caucus. He ran in the riding in the 2022 provincial election as well, finishing fourth.

Minor candidates included Mike Holbrook (Green Party) and Glenn Tyrrell (New Blue Party).

Local Issues

Rural health care remained the foremost local concern. The riding suffered from a shortage of family physicians, with thousands of residents lacking a regular health care provider. Smaller communities like Bancroft, Tweed, and Northbrook faced long drives to access basic medical services, and the need for more long-term care capacity was a priority across the riding. Bresee pointed to four new long-term care facilities under construction in the riding during his term as evidence of progress, while opposition candidates argued that the pace of investment remained insufficient.

Broadband and transportation infrastructure were persistent issues. While provincial broadband expansion programs had been announced, deployment remained slow and coverage patchy in the riding's more remote communities, particularly in northern Hastings County. Rigby campaigned on better roads, bridges, and rural transportation funding, reflecting residents' frustration with infrastructure that had not kept pace with the area's needs.

Affordability and the economic outlook weighed on voters. The threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods added uncertainty for agricultural producers and small businesses across the riding. Rising costs for food, fuel, and housing affected an area where incomes already trailed the provincial average. The contest between Bresee and Sloan again highlighted a tension on the political right, with Sloan courting voters who felt the Progressive Conservatives had not governed conservatively enough, though Bresee's local government roots and incumbency advantage positioned him as the candidate of stability.