London West

London West had been NDP territory since Peggy Sattler won a by-election in August 2013, triggered by the resignation of longtime Liberal MPP Chris Bentley. Sattler had been re-elected in 2014 and 2018 by comfortable margins and served as the NDP’s Chief Opposition Whip and Shadow Minister for Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. The riding covers 77 square kilometres in the western part of London, including established communities such as Byron, Old South, and Boler Mountain, along with the rapidly growing Hyde Park and Riverbend areas. Just over 139,000 people lived in the riding as of the 2021 census, a 10.5 percent increase from 2016.

The riding’s mix of established neighbourhoods, new suburban development, and proximity to London Health Sciences Centre made healthcare and housing the defining election issues.

Candidates

Peggy Sattler (NDP) — Born in Dundas, Ontario, Sattler earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from McMaster University and a master’s in educational policy from Western University. Before entering politics, she served as director of policy studies at the Academica Group, specializing in post-secondary education issues. She had also been a Thames Valley District School Board trustee for 13 years, including terms as vice-chair and chair.

Paul Paolatto (Progressive Conservative) — The Chief Operating Officer at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, overseeing an enterprise supporting over 7,000 faculty, researchers, staff, and students. A long-time London resident, Paolatto had run as a mayoral candidate in the 2018 municipal election, losing to former Conservative MP Ed Holder. He had served on the boards of the London Police Service and the London Economic Development Corporation.

Vanessa Lalonde (Liberal) — A small business owner and member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames. Lalonde co-ran a business supporting Indigenous artists, creators, and businesses, and organized holiday and back-to-school collections for women and children in local shelters.

Colleen McCauley (Green Party) ran for the Greens. Kristopher Hunt ran for the New Blue Party, Cynthia Workman for the Ontario Party, Jacques Y Boudreau for the Libertarian Party, Brad Harness for Consensus Ontario, and Mike McMullen for the Freedom Party.

Local Issues

Housing affordability had become acute across London West. The riding’s population had grown significantly, driven in part by new development in Hyde Park and Riverbend, but house prices and rents had climbed sharply throughout the city. Sattler had been vocal about the need for affordable housing investment and rent control measures, while Paolatto emphasized economic growth and streamlining the development process.

Healthcare was inseparable from the riding’s identity. London Health Sciences Centre, one of Ontario’s largest acute-care teaching hospitals, is located within the riding, employing thousands of residents. Staffing shortages across the healthcare system were a concern for both healthcare workers living in the riding and patients facing longer wait times. Paid sick days for workers, which Sattler championed, resonated in a riding with many healthcare professionals.

Post-secondary education and student affordability also mattered in a riding adjacent to Western University and Fanshawe College. Sattler’s portfolio as Shadow Minister for post-secondary education aligned with local concerns about tuition, OSAP funding, and the ability of graduates to find employment and housing in London after completing their studies.