A federal byelection has been called for Halifax

HALIFAX — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that a byelection is to be held in Halifax on April 14.

The Halifax seat has been empty since Aug. 31, when longtime member of Parliament Andy Fillmore resigned to run for Halifax mayor.

A byelection must be called within six months of a new vacancy in the House of Commons.

If a general election is called before April 14, the byelection will be cancelled and its candidates would join the general election.

Any votes already cast in the byelection and any special ballots issued for that election would become void.

Fillmore held the Halifax seat as a Liberal for nine years, after first winning in the 2015 election.

The Liberals have announced that Shannon Miedema will be their candidate. Miedema works as the Halifax Regional Municipality’s director of environment and climate change.

“I’ve spent the last 15 years working with the people of Halifax to build a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous community,” Miedema said in a statement Sunday. “Now, I’m ready to take those same values to Ottawa, where I will fight for affordable housing, better public health care, and bold climate action.”

Prior to Fillmore’s 2015 win, the seat had been held by NDP members since 1997.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in town Sunday to host Lisa Roberts’ campaign kickoff for the byelection at the downtown Halifax Brewery Market.

Roberts, who has been an MLA, journalist and nonprofit leader, came in a close second to Fillmore in the 2021 election.

The Conservatives’ candidate is communications professional Mark Boudreau.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2025.

The Canadian Press