Doug Ford, re-elected as Ontario’s Premier, addressed his supporters at an election night event in Toronto on Thursday, February 27, 2025. The Canadian Press
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative Party has secured a historic third consecutive majority in Ontario. The election, called more than a year early, centered on Ford’s pledge to fight U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs.
With nearly all votes counted, Ford’s party won 81 out of 124 seats, an increase from the 79 seats they held before. Speaking to a cheering crowd in Etobicoke, Ford emphasized that Ontario and Canada would never become part of the United States, despite Trump’s claims.
“This election was about who we are and the future we choose,” Ford said. “Donald Trump thinks he can divide us, but he underestimates the Canadian spirit.”
Ford’s campaign included promises to build a massive traffic tunnel under Highway 401, restrict supervised drug consumption sites near schools, boost critical mineral mining, and remove bike lanes in Toronto. Experts estimate the traffic tunnel could cost between $60 billion and $120 billion.
Opposition Parties Fall Short
The opposition parties struggled to keep up. The New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Marit Stiles, secured 26 seats, slightly down from the 28 they previously held. Stiles, while disappointed, vowed to challenge Ford’s government.
“In a few years, we will have a rematch, and I’ll be ready,” she told supporters in Toronto.
The Ontario Liberals, under new leader Bonnie Crombie, won 14 seats, gaining official party status but falling far behind expectations. Crombie herself lost her Mississauga East-Cooksville race to PC candidate Silvia Gualtieri.
Despite the setback, Crombie remained optimistic. “People counted us out, but they were wrong,” she said, highlighting that the party increased its popular vote to 30 percent.
The Green Party, led by Mike Schreiner, retained its two seats in the legislature.
Low Voter Turnout And Key Seat Flips
Voter turnout was around 45 percent, a historically low figure but similar to the 2022 election.
Key seat changes included the Liberals flipping PC strongholds in Ajax, Nepean, and Etobicoke Lakeshore. Meanwhile, the PCs won Hamilton Mountain from the NDP, while the NDP held onto Windsor West.
At Ford’s victory party, the mood was subdued at first but grew more excited as results showed Crombie trailing in her riding. Liberal supporters in Mississauga reacted quietly as a Conservative majority was projected, while boos erupted at the NDP event.
Federal And International Implications
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Ford, promising to work with him to protect Canadian interests and support economic growth.
Ford framed the election as a battle against Trump’s proposed tariffs, even traveling to Washington twice to lobby U.S. lawmakers. However, his meetings with White House staff led to no guarantees about preventing tariffs.
The opposition focused on other issues, such as healthcare and housing. Ontario’s healthcare system struggles with long wait times and a shortage of family doctors. The PCs pledged $1.8 billion to connect two million Ontarians with primary care, but critics called it too little, too late.
Despite attacks from opponents, Ford’s support remained strong. His campaign featured slick TV ads portraying him as a fighter willing to take on Trump.
With this win, Ford becomes the first Ontario premier to secure three straight majority victories since Leslie Frost in 1959. The early election, costing an estimated $189 million, solidified his hold on the province’s political landscape.
