Thunder Bay—Rainy River

Thunder Bay—Rainy River is a vast northwestern Ontario riding stretching from the southern half of the city of Thunder Bay westward along the Canada–United States border to Lake of the Woods. The riding encompasses the Territorial District of Rainy River and the southern portion of the Territorial District of Thunder Bay, including the municipalities of Oliver Paipoonge, Neebing, Atikokan, Fort Frances, and the town of Rainy River. Several First Nations fall within the riding, including Fort William First Nation, Couchiching First Nation, Seine River First Nation, Lac des Mille Lacs, and Big Grassy River. The terrain is defined by the boreal forest and exposed Precambrian bedrock of the Canadian Shield, threaded with rivers, lakes, and ancient canoe routes.

The population was approximately 82,400 as of the 2021 census. The riding has a significant Indigenous population, and Finnish, Italian, and Ukrainian heritage communities have deep roots in the Thunder Bay area dating to the early twentieth century. English is the dominant language, with small French-speaking and Indigenous-language-speaking populations.

Candidates

Marcus Powlowski (Liberal) — Born in Kaministiquia, Ontario, in 1960, Dr. Powlowski holds five degrees from the University of Toronto, Harvard University, and Georgetown University—including a Doctor of Medicine, a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Public Health, and a Master of Laws in Global Health Law. Before entering politics, he worked as an emergency room physician in Thunder Bay and as a global health consultant with the World Health Organization in Africa and the South Pacific. He was first elected in 2019 and was seeking his second term.

Adelina Pecchia (Conservative) — Born in Italy and raised in Thunder Bay, Pecchia is an ordained member of the clergy who has worked as a pastor, associate, and worship leader. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and religious studies and a Master's degree in theological studies. She campaigned on ensuring that northwestern Ontario communities receive equitable access to employment, healthcare, and economic development.

Yuk-Sem Won (NDP) — Born and raised in Hearst, Ontario, Won graduated from Lakehead University and has worked as a teacher in the public school system and as a faculty member in the Human Resources program at Confederation College. She served as local president and regional grievance officer within the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. She also ran for the NDP in 2019, finishing a close third.

Alan Aubut (PPC) — Aubut was the People's Party of Canada candidate in Thunder Bay—Rainy River, running on the party's platform of limited government and individual responsibility.

About the Riding

Thunder Bay—Rainy River's economy has historically been shaped by the resource industries—forestry, pulp and paper, and mining—that drove settlement across northwestern Ontario. The closure of major pulp and paper operations in the 2000s and 2010s, including the Resolute Forest Products mill in Fort Frances, dealt severe economic blows to communities that had depended on the forestry sector for generations. Fort Frances, the fourth-largest community in northwestern Ontario, sits on the international border opposite International Falls, Minnesota, connected by the Fort Frances–International Falls International Bridge.

The Thunder Bay portion of the riding includes the city's south side, with its grain elevators lining the harbour on Lake Superior—a testament to the city's historical role as a transshipment hub for western Canadian grain. Healthcare is a major employer through the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and Lakehead University and Confederation College provide educational and research capacity.

The riding's Indigenous communities face some of the most acute socioeconomic challenges in Ontario. Access to clean water, housing, healthcare, and education on reserves remain pressing concerns. Atikokan, a small town surrounded by boreal wilderness, has reinvented itself around renewable energy and outdoor recreation, and serves as a gateway to Quetico Provincial Park—one of the premier canoe-tripping destinations in North America. The riding's vast geography and sparse population make infrastructure maintenance, broadband connectivity, and emergency service delivery persistent political challenges.