Fort Whyte

Fort Whyte is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created in 1999, after the provincial electoral boundaries commission determined that southwestern Winnipeg had experienced enough population growth to deserve an extra seat. Fort Whyte was created from territory formerly belonging to Fort Garry and St. Norbert.

Fort Whyte is bordered on the east by Fort Garry and St. Norbert, to the south by St. Norbert, to the north by River Heights and Tuxedo, and to the west by Charleswood and Morris.

The constituency's population in 1996 was 19,396. The average family income as of 1999 was $78,422, the second-highest in the province. The unemployment rate is 4.00%, and only 4% of the population is above 65 years of age. Almost 30% of the population have university degrees, once again the second highest rating in the province. Health and social services account for 13% of Fort Whyte's industry, with a further 12% in educational services.

Fort Whyte is an ethnically diverse constituency, with an immigrant population of 21%. Eight per cent of the riding's residents are Chinese, 5% are German and 4% are East Indian.

The constituency was represented by John Loewen of the Progressive Conservative Party from 1999 to 2005. On September 23, 2005, Loewen announced that he was leaving provincial politics to seek the Liberal Party of Canada's nomination for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia. He formally resigned from the legislature on September 26.

On December 13, 2005, a by-election was held to fill Loewen's seat. The winner was Hugh McFadyen, meaning that the Tories retained their seat in the Manitoba legislature. McFadyen was easily re-elected in the 2007 provincial election, but was one of only four PC MLAs returned from Winnipeg. Fort Whyte is considered safe for the PC party.

List of provincial representatives

Electoral history

Previous boundaries

References