Alberta NDP MLA Rod Loyola has announced his resignation from his provincial seat in Edmonton-Ellerslie, with a Western Standard source saying he may run as a Liberal candidate in the federal riding of Edmonton Gateway for the April 28 election.
Loyola, first elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2023, has represented the southeast Edmonton riding for nearly a decade.
The speaker’s office confirmed his resignation takes effect Tuesday, triggering Alberta’s third provincial by- election since the May 2023 general election, according to The Canadian Press.
Loyola hasn’t commented on his plans, but posts on X and political insiders indicate he’s poised to challenge Conservative incumbent Tim Uppal in Edmonton Gateway, a riding that overlaps parts of his current constituency.
The resignation follows former NDP leader Rachel Notley’s departure in December 2024 from Edmonton-Strathcona, where new leader Naheed Nenshi is set to run in a by-election.
The NDP has pressed Premier Danielle Smith to call that vote, though no date is set.
Loyola’s potential move to the federal Liberals aligns with the party’s push in Edmonton, highlighted by Mayor Amarjeet Sohi’s candidacy in nearby Edmonton Southeast.
If confirmed, Loyola would replace Ron Thiering, the current Liberal nominee in Edmonton Gateway.
Loyola’s exit marks a shift for the NDP, which has long held Edmonton-Ellerslie as a stronghold. Neither the Alberta NDP nor the Liberal Party of Canada has officially commented on his candidacy as of Tuesday morning.
