Ottawa·Riding Info

Ontario Votes 2018: Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes

The largely rural Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes riding is made up of Brockville, Gananoque, Prescott and a number of townships and has a strong history of voting Progressive Conservative.

For decades, this largely rural riding has been held by a member of the Progressive Conservatives

The Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes riding has been PC for decades and incumbent Steve Clark (centre) hopes to keep it that way. David Henderson (left), currently the mayor of Brockville, is running for the Liberals, while stay-at-home mom Michelle Taylor is running for the NDP. (Submitted)

The largely rural Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes riding is made up of Brockville, Gananoque, Prescott and a number of townships and has a strong history of voting Progressive Conservative.  

While the riding includes a large swath of area south of Ottawa, most residents live close to the St. Lawrence River. 

The latest census numbers suggest the people who live in Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes are older than in other eastern Ontario communities, with an average income and unemployment rate close to the provincial average. 

Who's running?

Historically, nothing has been able to budge this riding from the PC camp, with the party picking up more votes in the past three elections than all other parties combined. 

Incumbent Steve Clark, who was elected mayor of Brockville at just 22 years old, was first elected to the seat in a 2010 byelection.

His Liberal opponent this election, David Henderson, is Brockville's current mayor, serving in that position since 2006.

The NDP candidate for the riding is Michelle Taylor, a newcomer to politics and stay-at-home mom.

Also running in Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes is entrepreneur and small business owner Derek Morley for the Green Party of Ontario and Bill Buckley for the Ontario Libertarian Party.