It served the easternmost portion of the former city of Sudbury, the eastern portion of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury, and several rural communities to the east and southeast of the city.

In 1999, the provincial government realigned its ridings to match the federal riding boundaries, and Sudbury East was amalgamated into the provincial Nickel Belt district.

The name Sudbury East is still used to refer collectively to the municipalities east and southeast of the city which were formerly part of the riding but are not part of the current city of Greater Sudbury, including Markstay-Warren, St. Charles and French River.

These towns, as well as the adjacent municipality of Killarney and the unorganized townships of Burwash, Cox, Davis, Hawley, Hendrie, Henry, Janes, Laura, Loughrin, Secord, Servos, Street and Waldie, coordinate economic development and planning through the cooperative Sudbury East Planning Board.

In unofficial usage, the designation may also be extended to include the municipality of West Nipissing, particularly the community of Sturgeon Falls, although West Nipissing is not officially part of the Sudbury East area.