Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes

Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes spans a picturesque swath of eastern Ontario from the St. Lawrence River corridor through the Thousand Islands and Rideau Canal heritage landscapes to the agricultural communities of Leeds and Grenville counties. Steve Clark, a veteran Progressive Conservative who has represented the area since winning a 2010 by-election, sought re-election after a turbulent term that saw him resign from cabinet as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in September 2023 amid the Greenbelt land-swap scandal. Ontario's Integrity Commissioner found that Clark had failed to properly oversee the process that led to protected Greenbelt lands being selected for housing development, and the Auditor General concluded that the site selection had been heavily influenced by well-connected developers. Clark returned to the backbenches and continued to serve as MPP.

Before entering provincial politics, Clark served as mayor of Brockville, worked for the local newspaper, and was chief administrative officer for the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. He has deep roots in the riding and remained a well-known figure across its communities.

Candidates

Steve Clark (Progressive Conservative) — First elected in a 2010 by-election, Clark served as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing from 2018 until his resignation from cabinet in September 2023 following the Greenbelt controversy. Before entering provincial politics, he served as mayor of Brockville and as chief administrative officer for the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. He has represented the riding continuously since 2010.

Lorna Jean Edmonds (Liberal) — A global education leader and former vice-provost for Global Affairs and International Studies and professor at Ohio University. Edmonds grew up in Ottawa and at Pike Lake near Westport and holds a BA from Queen's University, a master's in health administration from the University of Ottawa, and a PhD in development studies from the University of East Anglia. She returned to the region and made Hartington her home.

Chris Wilson (NDP) — The NDP candidate in the riding, Wilson sought to present a progressive alternative in a traditionally conservative seat.

Fiona Jager (Green Party) — The Green Party candidate, Jager brought environmental concerns to the riding's electoral conversation.

Minor candidates included Chris Garrah (New Blue Party), Daniel Calabretta (Ontario Party), and Mark Snow (Libertarian).

Local Issues

Health care access dominated the concerns of residents across this eastern Ontario riding during the 2022-2025 term. Brockville General Hospital reported emergency room patient volumes approaching double the intended capacity, and constituents consistently identified finding a family doctor as their most pressing concern. Emergency departments in smaller communities were either overwhelmed or at risk of temporary closures due to physician shortages. The riding was selected as one of four regions in Ontario for the REDI pilot program, which aimed to attract up to two hundred skilled workers to the area through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, but the scale of the challenge remained daunting.

The Greenbelt controversy cast a long shadow over the riding's political landscape. Clark's resignation from the housing portfolio following the Integrity Commissioner's findings and the Auditor General's report raised questions about the process by which development decisions were made at the provincial level. While the Greenbelt controversy was primarily a GTA-focused issue, the broader implications for land-use planning and trust in government resonated with rural voters who valued environmental stewardship and transparent governance. The reversal of the Greenbelt land swaps in late 2023 did not fully resolve the political fallout.

The cost of living and economic challenges weighed on communities throughout the riding. Businesses reported that food costs, staffing difficulties, and limited access to employee health benefits were ongoing struggles. Rail transportation logistics posed challenges for local industry, with reports of delays at the Brockville interchange affecting commercial operations. Tourism, a vital economic driver in the Thousand Islands and Rideau Canal corridor, continued its recovery from pandemic-era disruptions, but operators faced labour shortages and rising operational costs.