UPDATE 11:51 p.m.

Conservative candidate Rob Morrison has been declared the winner in the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies riding.

Morrison, previously the Kootenay-Columbia member of Parliament, won the new electoral district with a reported 50.44 per cent of the vote (30,858 votes, as of 11:27 p.m.), well ahead of Liberal candidate Reggie Goldsbury’s 17,058 votes and the NDP’s Kallee Lins 11,105 votes.

Morrison was at a gathering in Cranbrook to celebrate his win, but was focused more on the task ahead — and uniting the country — than dwelling on the victory.

“I’m hoping that we move in to where we start looking at our economy and we start looking at how we do a better job, and how do we make more money?” he said.

Morrison felt getting the energy sector back on track was an important ingredient in that mix. He pointed to the mining industry — in Elk River and Trail — as key cogs in that economic recovery. Getting the economy trending upward means more housing and affordability across the board, said Morrison.

“I found that when we were knocking on doors … the biggest thing was affordability. People talked about Trump, about the U.S., but it was more of a ‘What are we going to do ourselves?’” he stated.

“Let’s not worry about what (Trump is) talking about. They are not going to annex us, that’s ridiculous. But we do need to be self-sufficient and we sort of lost our way a bit on that. I am hoping that going back to Ottawa we can find our way and be proud to be Canadians."

— Timothy Schafer

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UPDATE 10:30 p.m.

Conservative candidate Rob Morrison has been declared winner in Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies.

Morrison, who was first elected in 2019, cruised to victory easily, capturing roughly 50% of the vote.

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UPDATE 9:34 p.m.

Over two hours after the polls have closed in the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies the votes are still being counted, but Conservative candidate Rob Morrison has nearly doubled his lead over the closest opponent.

Morrison has 19,056 votes, well ahead of Liberal candidate Reggie Goldsbury’s 9,635, the closest opponent. The NDP’s Kallee Lins is in third at 6,343 votes.

The Green’s Steven Maffioli only has 1.62 per cent of the votes (591), Jim Wiedrick (independent) has 457 votes and the PPC’s Laurie Baird has 298 votes.

— Timothy Schafer

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UPDATE 7:59 p.m.

Not much has happened yet at the gathering for the NDP candidate Kallee Lins — located at The Royal on Baker — but people are starting to trickle in now that the polls closed at 7 p.m. PST.

Lins has yet to make an appearance as residents start to gather to watch the results from the federal election roll in. However, results for the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies haven’t been counted yet.

“It’s a nail-biter tonight,” said one Kootenay resident who attended the gathering at The Royal in Nelson.

The Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies' votes haven’t been counted yet, and people are still waiting to see what happens.

— Samantha Holomay

*This is a developing story.

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UPDATE 7:41 p.m.

The polls have barely closed in the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies electoral district and the Liberals have been projected to form a majority government, according to the Canadian Press decision desk.

However, there are few figures available for the riding that claims Nelson and Trail — as well as most of the RDCK and RDEK — in its roster.

As of 7:41 p.m., the scant vote count has Rob Morrison (Conservative) ahead with 19 votes (yes, 19), Reggie Goldsbury (Liberal) with seven, Kalle Lins (NDP) with five, Steven Maffioli (Green) with four, Laurie Baird (PPC) with two, and independent candidate Jim Wiedrick with one vote.

Polls had suggested the NDP could lose many of its seats as left-centre voters turn to the Liberals in an effort to prevent Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives from forming government.

When Parliament was dissolved, the Liberals held 153 seats in a minority government and the Conservatives formed the official Opposition with 120 seats. The Bloc Québécois held 33 seats, the NDP 24 and the Greens two. There were three independent MPs.

Because of changes to riding boundaries, the 2025 general election will see 343 seats contested, up from 338.

To reach majority status in the next Parliament, a party would need to secure a minimum of 172 seats.

— Timothy Schafer

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ORIGINAL 4:39 p.m.

A half dozen names were put forth to become the first member of Parliament for the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies, with Conservative candidate Rob Morrison the incumbent for the majority of the electoral district.

The redistribution of federal electoral districts in 2022 brought some changes, creating a district with the longest shared border with the U.S. in Canada, and also one that stretches from Trail in the east to the Alberta border in the west to Kootenay National Park in the north.

The riding includes the Regional District of East Kootenay, those parts of the Regional District of Central Kootenay comprising electoral areas A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, Nelson, Creston, and Creston Indian Reserve No. 1.

It also includes those parts of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary comprising electoral Area A, that part of Kootenay Boundary Area B (Lower Columbia-Old Glory lying east of the City of Trail and Goodeve Creek) and Trail.

The complete list of candidates include Rob Morrison (Conservative Party) and Jim Wiedrick (independent), Kallee Lins of the NDP, Reggie Goldsbury of the Liberals, Steven Maffioli of the Green Party and Laurie Baird of the People's Party of Canada.

This story will be updated with results as they come in.

Conservative Party of Canada - Rob Morrison

Rob Morrison has served in many leadership roles, forging strong collaborative relationships within government. During his tenure as director general with the Treasury Board Secretariat, he was responsible for an information-sharing environment with all law enforcement agencies and foreign governments.

Prior to his role as director general, he served as senior executive chief superintendent with the RCMP in British Columbia. Morrison also served as a diplomat with the Department of Foreign Affairs where he was responsible for 17 countries in Central/Southwest Asia and the Middle East, and engaged firsthand with senior foreign government officials representing the voice of Canada.

Rob has received multiple recognitions, including a Commissioners Commendation for Outstanding Service and recognition from Prime Minister Harper for his years of loyal public service. He was elected to represent Kootenay-Columbia in the 2019 and 2021 Federal elections. After serving as the Deputy Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Rob was appointed to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).

Rob travels extensively to remote communities and areas throughout Kootenay-Columbia. He is committed to understanding the real issues residents and business owners are facing. He values relationships and is continuously building bridges and solutions between government, communities, and the thousands of constituents he represents with pride.

Rob is a devoted husband and father. He and his wife Heather have five children.

New Democratic Party of Canada - Kallee Lins

Kallee grew up in Castlegar and now lives in Nelson.

A champion of community organizations, non-profits, and an advocate for progressive political change, she has all too often seen the results of government policies that have put corporate profits ahead of workers and small businesses.

Growing up in the West Kootenay, Lins learned from an early age that the environment is central to life in the region.

“Our rivers, lakes, and forests are the heartbeat of our communities,” she said on her campaign website. “I will advocate for stronger protections, monitoring and conservation efforts to preserve local ecosystems for generations to come.”

As executive director of the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council, Lins supports cultural development across the Columbia Basin. She also consults for cultural non-profits and provides pro bono facilitation for local organizations. She is currently board chair for the Dance West Network, and an inaugural board member of the Black and Rural Arts and Culture Society.

Lins has been involved in grassroots politics across Canada for 15 years, serving first as co-president of NDP McGill and later as a member of the riding association executive in Jack Layton’s former riding of Toronto—Danforth.

In her free time, Lins enjoys exploring the riding with her husband, from Creston’s vineyards to Kootenay hiking trails and local arts spaces. She has volunteered as a co-host on Kootenay Co-op Radio and is an active member of St. Saviour’s Pro-Cathedral, which serves Nelson’s most vulnerable. Lins has a BA in political science and English from McGill University and an MA in theatre and performance studies from York University.

Liberal Party of Canada - Reggie Goldsbury

The Liberal Party of Canada have advanced a second-generation candidate in Reggie Goldsbury — his mother Robin ran for the Liberals in 2019 — the former owner of the Dock ‘n’ Duck restaurant in Balfour.

Goldsbury was acclaimed by the Liberals and is a “devoted community leader who has shown his deep passion and determination to make life better for families in” the riding, according to the biography on his campaign website.

“Reggie knows what it takes to create jobs, support families and small businesses in the community, and build a better future for everyone,” the website continued.

Currently, Goldsbury works for the Ktunaxa Nation Council in the social investment field.

His website states that “as the Liberal candidate for Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies, Reggie knows what it takes to create good jobs, support families and small businesses in the community, and build a better future for everyone.

“Reggie has a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies, and he will be the local champion this community needs to bring your priorities to Ottawa,” the website noted.

Green Party of Canada - Steven Maffoli

Steven Maffoli has worked and volunteered alongside several campaigns before he officially joined the Alberta Greens in 2023.

Born and raised in Fernie, he spent his twenties working and living in Calgary before moving back to British Columbia. During his time there, he worked for a local organization seeking to raise awareness about pollution and the nation's affordable housing crisis.

Shortly after, he decided to pursue his passion for wellness, working as a yoga teacher at the Vancouver School of Hearing Arts. He is currently working towards becoming a naturopath and hopes to integrate holistic practices into the healthcare system.

The Green Party website described Maffoli as someone deeply passionate about voter reform, who has positioned his focus on the cause and hopes ot serve his community with poise, professionalism, and in the spirit of non-partisanship.

Independent - Jim Wiedrick

Dr. Jim Wiedrick is running as an independent in the Columbia-Kootenay-Southern Rockies riding.

Wiedrick worked as an emergency care physician for almost two decades in Nelson. With many of his experts making life or death decisions, he prides himself on being able to plan out careful decisions while also making sure to remain empathetic and invest in community interests.

Wiedrick's platform includes representative democracy, focusing on people’s daily needs, particularly accessible healthcare and affordability.

He believes that politics has become too divided and that local representatives need to focus more on the concerns of the people and less on their political party's agenda.

With years of experience making critical decisions under pressure in the healthcare field, Wiedrick said he aims to bring a practical, community-driven approach to Parliament — "one that puts the interests of Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies residents first, free from party influence."

People’s Party of Canada - Laurie Baird

Laurie Baird has agreed to step in as an alternate candidate for the PPC. Showcasing her dedication to politics, the PPC website describes Laurie Baird as a proud supporter of the community.

Some of Baird’s core values include freedom of expression, personal responsibility, respect and fairness.

She believes that Canada is a strong nation that can improve, regain prosperity, and empower people through strong beliefs. She aims to instill confidence in voters by reinforcing the importance of having strong core values.

In addition to her philosophical outlook, Baird is a seasoned mortgage broker with over 15 years of real estate experience under her belt.

Through this experience, she can provide a deep understanding of the housing market and the challenges that many Canadians are facing when considering homeownership. She is currently in the process of gaining the 100 signatures required to officially be eligible.

Baird said that she is committed to making a real difference in the community.