Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie sits at the rapids of the St. Marys River, where Lake Superior empties into Lake Huron and the international border separates Ontario from Michigan. The federal riding encompasses the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Prince Township, and the reserves of Garden River (Ketegaunseebee), Goulais Bay, Rankin, and Obadjiwan, along with a portion of Unorganized North Algoma District extending north toward the Montreal River. The 2021 census recorded a population of approximately 113,800. The riding is one of northern Ontario's most urbanized constituencies, with the city itself home to roughly 74,000 residents.

Approximately 13 percent of the riding's population identifies as Indigenous, with Ojibway as the most commonly spoken Indigenous language. Garden River First Nation and Batchewana First Nation are adjacent to the city, and the historic Métis community of Baawating adds further depth to the riding's Indigenous heritage. English is the dominant mother tongue, with a small but established Francophone and Italian-Canadian community.

Candidates

Terry Sheehan (Liberal) — Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Sheehan served two terms as a trustee on the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board before being elected to Sault Ste. Marie City Council in 2003, representing Ward 2 for twelve years. On council he earned the nickname "Youth Councillor" for his focus on opportunities for young people, and he championed business incubation initiatives for the downtown core. First elected to Parliament in 2015, he was seeking his third consecutive term.

Sonny Spina (Conservative) — Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Spina served 18 years with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service as a detective and media relations officer before moving to a leadership role at Norpro, a private security firm. Active in the community, he chaired the Algoma Family Services Foundation, served as United Way Campaign chair, and volunteered with Big Brothers and the Sault North Rotary Club. He also ran in the 2019 federal election, finishing second.

Marie Morin-Strom (NDP) — A high school science teacher specializing in supporting students with special needs, Morin-Strom served as chief negotiator with the District 2 OSSTF Teachers Bargaining Unit, advocating for smaller class sizes and more resources for special education. She is the daughter of Karl Morin-Strom, the former NDP MPP for Sault Ste. Marie.

Kasper Makowski (PPC) — Makowski was the People's Party of Canada candidate for Sault Ste. Marie in the 2021 election.

About the Riding

Sault Ste. Marie's economy has been defined by steel for over a century. Algoma Steel—the city's largest employer, with approximately 2,800 workers—is the second-largest steel producer in Canada, with a capacity of four million tonnes per year. Tenaris, a manufacturer of steel tubes for the oil and gas industry, operates a major facility that roughly doubled its workforce in recent years to about 800 employees. Together, these two companies anchor a manufacturing base that has shaped the city's identity and its politics.

The riding's political history reflects the tensions between its industrial working class and the broader economic shifts affecting northern Ontario. Sault Ste. Marie was historically an NDP stronghold, but the party's support has eroded in recent cycles. The 2021 contest between Sheehan and Spina was among the tightest in the country, decided by fewer than 250 votes, underscoring the riding's competitive character.

Beyond steel, the riding's economy draws on healthcare, education, tourism, and forestry. Sault College and Algoma University serve the region, while the Agawa Canyon Tour Train and the city's proximity to Lake Superior Provincial Park draw visitors. The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge connects the city to its Michigan twin, making cross-border commerce a feature of daily life. Healthcare access, youth retention, and economic diversification beyond heavy industry remain the riding's central political concerns.