Manitoba votes 2019: Agassiz riding profile

• About the riding
• Voting history
• News stories from Agassiz
• Meet the candidates
• More CBC Manitoba riding profiles

Agassiz, asouthwestern Manitoba riding, was created in 2008 through the redistribution of most of the former Ste. Rose ridingand part of the Turtle Mountain riding.The riding's population is23,215, according to the ManitobaElectoral Divisions Boundary Commission.

The commission changed the riding'sboundaries again in 2018, with Lake Manitoba as its eastern boundary and pushing just into Riding Mountain National Park at the west. Major communities are Gladstone, Neepawa, Carberryand Treherne, which was added in the recent boundary redrawing. McCreary, which used to be part of the riding, was moved into the expanded Dauphin riding to the north.

In Neepawa, a town of about 4,000 people, the population jumped nearly 27 per cent from2011 to 2016. Some of that growth is fuelled by newcomers who have moved to the community, including many from the Philippines. Manycame to the community to work at itspork processing plant, owned by HyLife.

The median age of the riding's population is37.8, according to the 2018 riding profileprepared by theManitoba Bureau of Statistics, based on information from the 2016 census.

Voting history

The riding has only ever votedProgressive Conservative. The party won the region by more than 70 per cent in 2011 and 2016, whenEileen Clarke, now the incumbent, beat out competitors with more than 5,000 votes out of a total just under 7,000.

• 2011: Stu Briese (Progressive Conservative).
• 2016: Eileen Clarke(Progressive Conservative).

Before Agassiz became a riding, its precursor Ste. Rose had been Progressive Conservative since 1986. Prior to that, the riding was represented by Liberal and Liberal Progressive MLA Gil Molgatfrom1953 until 1969 and then by NDPMLA Pete Adam from1973 until 1986.

Agassiz in the news

Meet the candidates

The nominated candidates for the 2019 election are:

• EileenClarke (Progressive Conservative).
• Liz Clayton (Green Party of Manitoba).
• KellyLegaspi (NDP).
• HectorSwanson (Liberal).

Candidates become official when they meet criteria set out in the province's Elections Act, including providing a statement of disclosure. In Agassiz, all candidatesare official.

Findmore CBC Manitoba riding profiles here.