Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative Party have officially secured another majority government in Ontario’s early election, reinforcing their leadership for a third term.
While calling tonight’s election ahead of schedule was a risky move, pre-election polls indicated a strong lead for the Progressive Conservatives with a CTV News/Nanos survey showing them at 45.7% support among decided voters.
Marit Stiles and the NDP will also once again form the official opposition.
Ford’s call for the early election aimed to push for a stronger mandate to counter impending U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports.
Ford’s campaign centered on economic resilience and job security, particularly in response to a proposed 25% tariff on Canadian goods from U.S. President Donald Trump. Experts warned that such tariffs could severely impact Ontario’s manufacturing sector, potentially putting half a million jobs at risk.
To push back against U.S. trade policies, Ford suggested imposing equivalent retaliatory tariffs on American products and banning U.S.-produced alcohol in Ontario liquor stores.
The third straight majority win cements Ford’s political legacy. According to him, he would ideally stay as Ontario’s premier forever, which he joked about during a campaign stop on Tuesday.
He even suggested he aims to surpass the tenure of Hazel McCallion, the longtime Mississauga mayor who held office for 36 years and supported him in 2018.