Voters in North Vancouver–Capilano will head to the polls Monday as part of three federal byelections taking place in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, offering an early barometer of party support after the 2025 general election.
Local contest follows Wilkinson’s departure
The North Shore riding was vacated in June when long-serving Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson resigned to accept a diplomatic posting to Europe. Wilkinson, a prominent member of the last Liberal government, secured close to 60 per cent of the vote in April 2025.
The Liberals have nominated Braeden Caley, who served in the Prime Minister’s Office as deputy chief of staff under Prime Minister Mark Carney and was a senior operative on Carney’s election campaign. Caley has returned to his home province to run for the seat.
Challenging the Liberals, the Conservative candidate is Stephen Curran, a commercial lawyer who finished second to Wilkinson in 2025 with just over 33 per cent of the vote. Curran has used social media to question Caley’s connection to the community.
The New Democratic Party has nominated Stephen Tweedale, a party staffer for the local provincial MLA. The NDP faces a steep climb federally in the riding after earning roughly 4 per cent of the vote in the 2025 general election when national support for the party dipped.
National issues and local dynamics
Across the three byelections, the unfolding trade dispute between Canada and the United States is expected to be a prominent issue for voters, particularly in ridings with sizable small-business and resource-sector interests. Campaign messaging and voter turnout will determine whether national economic concerns overshadow local representation and community ties.
For North Vancouver–Capilano, the contest is both a test of the Liberal Party’s local resilience and a referendum on whether an Ottawa insider with recent senior-staff experience can translate that background into local support. Conservative messaging has focused on local roots and accountability, while the NDP and Greens will seek to mobilize voters on progressive and environmental platforms respectively.
- Riding: North Vancouver–Capilano
- Liberal candidate: Braeden Caley (former deputy chief of staff in the Prime Minister’s Office)
- Conservative candidate: Stephen Curran (commercial lawyer)
- NDP candidate: Stephen Tweedale (party staffer)
- Recent result (April 2025): Wilkinson nearly 60%; Curran ~33%; NDP ~4%
Byelections elsewhere and what to watch
Two other byelections are scheduled the same day, in Beaches–East York (Ontario) and a riding in Quebec, creating a national snapshot of voter sentiment. In Beaches–East York, the seat vacated by Nate Erskine-Smith is drawing attention after his decision not to return to the House of Commons; in Quebec, a previously Conservative-held riding that had voted Tory four times in a row is seen as competitive.
Analysts will watch turnout closely. Byelections often produce lower participation than general elections, which can advantage well-organized local campaigns and motivated voting blocs. The parties’ abilities to mobilize volunteers, get-out-the-vote operations and targeted messaging on the trade dispute and cost-of-living issues could shape the outcomes.
| Riding | Notable facts |
|---|---|
| North Vancouver–Capilano | Held by Liberals since 2015; Wilkinson resigned for diplomatic role; Caley the Liberal candidate |
| Beaches–East York | Seat vacated by Nate Erskine-Smith; local dynamics tied to his departure |
| Quebec riding | Previously elected Conservative four times; race considered uncertain for Tories |
What voters should know
Eligible voters in the affected ridings can cast ballots at designated polling stations on Monday. Advance polls and mail-in ballot rules are governed by Elections Canada; residents who have moved or whose information has changed should check their registration status ahead of voting day.
Beyond the immediate result, the byelections will be watched for indications of shifting political currents in Metro Vancouver and nationally — particularly whether Liberal support in long-held seats remains firm amid leadership and policy changes. For North Vancouver–Capilano residents, the contest represents a choice between continuity in party representation and a push for new local priorities amid broader economic uncertainty.
Reporting from the West Coast will track developments through the evening as results are released and parties react to the outcomes.
