A federal by-election will be held in the Saskatchewan federal electoral district of Yorkton—Melville following the resignation of Conservative member of Parliament (MP) Cathay Wagantall on August 31, 2026. The date of the by-election must be announced by February 28, 2027, and the election must be held on a Monday between 36 and 50 days after it is announced.

Background Wagantall was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2015 Canadian federal election, succeeding retiring Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz. She was re-elected in the 2019, 2021 and 2025 federal elections.

In the 2025 federal election, Wagantall was re-elected with 28,702 votes, or 77.5 per cent of the vote. Liberal candidate Luke Guimond finished second with 5,338 votes, or 14.4 per cent, followed by New Democratic Party candidate Michaela Krakowetz with 2,034 votes, or 5.5 per cent.

Wagantall had initially announced that she would not seek re-election but intended to remain an MP until the next federal election. On June 17, 2026, she announced that she had changed her plans and would instead resign from the House of Commons effective August 31. Wagantall said the decision was a personal one, explaining that she and her husband had considered their future and decided it was the appropriate time for her to leave federal politics.

Wagantall's departure triggered a federal by-election in a riding that has been represented by the Conservatives since 2000. The riding had previously been held by the New Democratic Party and its predecessor, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, for much of the period between its creation in 1968 and 1993.

Date The Speaker of the House of Commons formally notified Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault of the vacancy on September 1, 2026. Under the federal by-election timetable, the date of the by-election must be announced between September 12, 2026, and February 28, 2027. The election must be held on a Monday, at least 36 days and no more than 50 days after the announcement.

Elections Canada stated that the earliest possible election date is October 19, 2026. If the election is not called until the February 28, 2027 deadline, the latest possible election date is April 19, 2027.

Candidates Conservative Party The Conservative Party selected Yorkton-area farmer and small business owner Nelson Pohl as its candidate on June 13, 2026. Pohl defeated Yorkton city councillor and school principal Quinn Haider and Melville-area farmer and information technology worker Albert Duff for the nomination.

The nomination contest had originally been held to choose the party's candidate for the next general election after Wagantall announced that she would not seek another term. Following Wagantall's decision to resign early, Pohl became the Conservative candidate for the resulting by-election.

2025 result

See also By-elections to the 45th Canadian Parliament

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