Halifax is a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is one of a handful of ridings which has been represented continuously (albeit with different boundaries and different numbers of members) in the House of Commons since Confederation in 1867.
The riding of Halifax includes the communities of Spryfield, Sambro, Herring Cove, Harrietsfield, Williamswood, Prospect, Purcell's Cove, Armdale, Cowie Hill, Fairmount, Kline Heights, and the Halifax Peninsula.
History
The electoral district was created at Confederation in 1867. It returned two members until 1968.
The most notable of the riding's MPs was Robert Borden, who was Conservative leader from 1901 to 1920, and Prime Minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. Borden represented the riding from 1896 to 1904 and again from 1909 to 1917. Another notable MP was Robert Stanfield, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party from 1967 to 1976, who represented the riding from 1968 to 1979.
Halifax was represented by the New Democratic Party from 1997 to 2015, with the Liberal Party coming in second in every election from 2000 to 2015. The riding's boundaries were re-distributed in 2004. Before that date, it comprised the peninsula of Halifax, the community of Fairview, and part of Clayton Park.
Alexa McDonough stepped down as NDP leader in 2003, but stayed on to represent Halifax in the House of Commons. McDonough ran for re-election against popular city councillor Sheila Fougere in 2004, who came within 1000 votes of beating the incumbent. McDonough pulled ahead based in part on a strong showing in Halifax's North End. On 2 June 2008, McDonough announced that she would not seek re-election.
Following the 2012 redistribution, the riding gained a small part of the riding of Halifax West, on the eastern side of Long Lake Provincial Park.
Following the 2022 redistribution, the riding lost the Fairmount area to Halifax West.
Demographics
According to the 2021 Canadian census, 2023 representation order
Languages: 82.8% English, 3.1% French, 2.5% Mandarin, 1.8% Arabic, 1.1% Punjabi Race: 73.9% White, 6.1% South Asian, 5.4% Black, 3.8% Chinese, 3.2% Indigenous, 2.4% Arab, 1.1% Filipino Religions: 42.8% Christian (19.6% Catholic, 5.6% Anglican, 4.8% United Church, 2.3% Baptist, 10.6% other), 3.8% Muslim, 2.8% Hindu, 1.2% Sikh, 46.9% none Median income: $38,400 (2020) Average income: $52,900 (2020)
Geography The district includes the old City of Halifax except for the extreme western part, the area along the west coast of Halifax Harbour and along the Atlantic Ocean until Pennant. It also includes Sable Island. The area is .
Members of Parliament Halifax was a two-member riding from 1867 to 1968, electing its members through block voting. Since the 1968 Canadian federal election, it has elected just one MP in each election, electing its member through first past the post.
This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:
+2 member riding (1867–1968) Parliament Years Member Party Member Party Halifax 1st 1867–1869 Alfred Gilpin Jones Anti-Confederation Patrick Power Anti-Confederation 1869–1870 Independent Liberal 1870–1872 Independent Liberal 2nd 1872–1874 William Johnston Almon Liberal–Conservative Stephen Tobin Liberal 3rd 1874–1878 Patrick Power Independent Liberal Alfred Gilpin Jones Independent 4th 1878–1882 Matthew Henry Richey Liberal–Conservative Malachy Bowes Daly Liberal–Conservative 5th 1882–1883 1883–1887 John Fitzwilliam Stairs Conservative 6th 1887–1891 Alfred Gilpin Jones Liberal Thomas Edward Kenny Conservative 7th 1891–1896 John Fitzwilliam Stairs Conservative 8th 1896–1900 Robert Borden Benjamin Russell Liberal 9th 1900–1904 William Roche 10th 1904–1908 Michael Carney Liberal 11th 1908–1911 Robert Borden Conservative Adam Brown Crosby Conservative 12th 1911–1917 Alexander Kenneth Maclean Liberal 13th 1917–1921 Peter Francis Martin Government (Unionist) Government (Unionist) 14th 1921–1922 Edward Blackadder Liberal Liberal 1922–1923 Robert Emmett Finn 1923–1925 William Anderson Black Conservative 15th 1925–1926 Felix Patrick Quinn Conservative 16th 1926–1930 17th 1930–1935 18th 1935–1940 Gordon Benjamin Isnor Liberal Robert Emmett Finn Liberal 19th 1940–1945 William Chisholm Macdonald 20th 1945–1947 1947–1949 John Dickey 21st 1949–1950 1950–1953 Samuel Rosborough Balcom 22nd 1953–1957 23rd 1957–1958 Robert McCleave Progressive Conservative Edmund L. Morris Progressive Conservative 24th 1958–1962 25th 1962–1963 26th 1963–1965 John Lloyd Liberal Gerald Regan Liberal 27th 1965–1968 Robert McCleave Progressive Conservative Michael Forrestall Progressive Conservative
+Single member riding (1968–present) Parliament Years Member Party Halifax 28th 1968–1972 Robert Stanfield Progressive Conservative 29th 1972–1974 30th 1974–1979 31st 1979–1980 George Cooper 32nd 1980–1984 Gerald Regan Liberal 33rd 1984–1988 Stewart McInnes Progressive Conservative 34th 1988–1993 Mary Clancy Liberal 35th 1993–1997 36th 1997–2000 Alexa McDonough New Democratic 37th 2000–2004 38th 2004–2006 39th 2006–2008 40th 2008–2011 Megan Leslie 41st 2011–2015 42nd 2015–2019 Andy Fillmore Liberal 43rd 2019–2021 44th 2021–2024 2024–2025 Vacant 45th 2025-present Shannon Miedema Liberal
Election results
2025
2021 2021 federal election redistributed results Party Vote % Liberal 20,087 42.24 New Democratic 19,160 40.29 Conservative 6,062 12.75 Green 1,052 2.21 People's 1,003 2.11 Others 192 0.40
2019
2015
2011 federal election redistributed resultsPundits' Guide to Canadian Elections, Punditsguide.ca Party Vote % New Democratic 23,761 51.62 Liberal 11,805 25.64 Conservative 8,292 18.01 Green 2,023 4.39 Marxist-Leninist 152 0.33
2011
2008
2006
2004
2000 federal election redistributed results Party Vote % New Democratic 17,548 41.56 Liberal 13,453 31.86 Progressive Conservative 7,487 17.73 Alliance 2,570 6.09 Others 1,169 2.77
2000
1997
1993 1993 federal election redistributed results Party Vote % Liberal 21,210 47.42 Progressive Conservative 9,677 21.63 Reform 6,151 13.75 New Democratic 5,469 12.23 Others 2,225 4.97
1988
1984
1980
1979
1974
1972
1968
1867–1968: two members
Approximately 13,000 valid ballots were cast in this election.
Approximately 10,000 valid ballots cast in this election.
Approximately 8500 valid ballots cast in this election.
Approximately 5500 valid ballots cast in this election.
Approximately 6300 ballots cast in this election.
4948 valid ballots cast.
4480 voted out of 5958 eligible voters.
See also List of Canadian electoral districts Historical federal electoral districts of Canada
References
Notes
External links
Riding history for Halifax (1867– ) from the Library of Parliament