River Heights (electoral district)

File:RiverHeights2011.jpg

The 2011 boundaries for River Heights highlighted in red.

River Heights is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1957, and formally came into existence in the 1958 provincial election. The riding is located in the south-central region of the City of Winnipeg.

River Heights is bordered on the east by Lord Roberts and Fort Rouge, to the south by Fort Whyte, to the north by Wolseley, and to the west by Tuxedo.

The riding's population in 1996 was 19,950. The riding's character is middle-class and upper-middle class. In 1999, the average family income was $77,701, and the unemployment rate was 5.90%. River Heights includes many of Winnipeg's oldest and most stately homes: the average value of dwelling house in the riding in 1999 was $117,937.

River Heights has a significant Jewish population, at 9% of the total. 38.5% of the riding's residents have university degrees, the highest percentage in the province. Voter turnout also tends to be extremely high in this riding, usually at over 80% of the eligible population.

The service sector accounts for 15% of the River Heights's industry, with educational services following at 14%.

From 1958 to 1986, River Heights was represented by members of the Progressive Conservative Party. Since that time, however, it has generally been represented by leaders of the provincial Liberal Party. Sharon Carstairs represented the riding from 1986 until her appointment to the Canadian Senate in 1994, and Jon Gerrard has represented the riding since 1999.

The Liberal Party has many prominent backers in this riding, including members of the Asper family (see Izzy Asper).

List of provincial representatives

Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office
W.B. Scarth	PC	1958	1962
Maitland Steinkopf	PC	1962	1966
Sidney Spivak	PC	1966	1979
Gary Filmon	PC	1979	1981
Warren Steen	PC	1981	1986
Sharon Carstairs	Lib	1986	1994
Mike Radcliffe	PC	1995	1999
Jon Gerrard	Lib	1999	present

Electoral results

Manitoba general election, 2011
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Jon Gerrard	4,742	45.91%	−5.15%
	Progressive Conservative	Martin Morantz	3,384	32.76%	+7.65%
	New Democratic	Dan Manning	1,835	17.76%	−2.01%
	Green	Elizabeth May Cameron	370	3.57%	−0.48%
Total valid votes			10,358
Rejected and declined votes			29
Turnout			10,387	72.51%	+3.17
Electors on the lists			14,325

Manitoba general election, 2007
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Jon Gerrard	4,760	51.06	+2.36
	Progressive Conservative	Ashley Burner	2,341	25.11	−3.84
	New Democratic	Fiona Shiells	1,843	19.77	+0.03
	Green	Christine Bennet-Clark	378	4.05	+1.79
Total valid votes			9,322	100.00
Rejected and declined votes			22
Turnout			9,344	69.34	+1.91
Electors on the lists			13,475

Manitoba general election, 2003
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Jon Gerrard	4,500	48.70	+3.70	$29,690.35
	Progressive Conservative	Mike Radcliffe	2,675	28.95	−12.00	$24,419.68
	New Democratic	Kristin Bingeman	1,824	19.74	+6.76	$4,053.34
	Green	Linda Goossen	209	2.26	+1.46	$49.68
	Libertarian	Clancy Smith	32	0.35	+0.08	$0.00
Total valid votes			9,240	100.00
Rejected and declined votes			31
Turnout			9,271	67.43	−6.24
Electors on the lists			13,749

Manitoba general election, 1999
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%	Expenditures
	Liberal	Jon Gerrard	5,173	45.00	–	$30,877.93
	Progressive Conservative	Mike Radcliffe	4,708	40.95		$28,010.25
	New Democratic	Peter Reimer	1,492	12.98		$3,101.00
	Green	Chris Billows	92	0.80	–	$55.40
	Libertarian	Clancy Smith	31	0.27		$443.82
Total valid votes			11,496	100.00
Rejected and declined votes			41
Turnout			11,537	83.67
Electors on the lists			13,788

Previous boundaries

File:RiverHeights98.png

The 1999-2011 boundaries for River Heights highlighted in red