What to know about the Swan River riding for Manitoba's 2023 election

• About the riding
• Voting history
• News stories from Swan River
• Meet the candidates
• More CBC Manitobariding profiles

The western Manitoba riding of Swan River includes its namesake, the town of Swan River, as well as the communities of Russell, Birch River, Rossburn, Ethelbert, Minitonas and Roblin.

The Swan River riding's western boundary is the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border, while its eastern boundary runs along Highway 6. The riding's northern boundary runs along Highway 60, and its southern boundary runs down Highway 359.

• Full coverage of the 2023 Manitoba election

Its population is 22,145, according to Elections Manitoba's riding's profile, based on 2021 census data.

The median age in the riding is 41.2, older than the provincial median age of 38.4, the riding profile says. The riding's median household income is $60,800.

More facts about Swan River

• Almost 35 per cent of residents in the riding identified as Indigenous in the 2021 census, according to the riding's profile.
• Just 3.5 per cent of the riding's residents identified as visible minorities.
• The largest employment group was agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (at 19.6 per cent).
• The area's population of adults 65 years and older is 20.9 per cent.

Voting history

The riding was held by the NDP for more than two decades before it voted Progressive Conservative in 2016 and again in 2019.

• 1986 election: NDP.
• 1988: Progressive Conservative.
• 1990 - 2011 (six elections): NDP.
• 2011: Ron Kostyshyn (NDP).
• 2016 and 2019: Rick Wowchuk (Progressive Conservative).

Swan River in the news

• With crime rate 4 times Manitoba's average, Swan River calls on all levels of government for help
• Production begins at Manitoba's 1st potash mine
• Filipino grocery store provides taste of home for Manitoba town's growing newcomer community
• First Nations twins say they felt segregated in cold portable classrooms at their elementary school
• Roblin ER reopening Monday, health region says, after closure more than 3 months ago

Meet the candidates

The nominated candidates for the 2023 election, as of Sept. 2, are:

• Andy Maxwell (NDP).
• Rick Wowchuk (Progressive Conservative incumbent).
• Don McKenna (Keystone Party).

Candidates become official when they meet criteria set out in the province's Elections Act, including providing a statement of disclosure, after the election has been called.In Swan River, all candidates are official.

Find more CBC Manitoba riding profiles here.