The Province of Ontario has held its 2022 Parliamentary election. Going into the election, the Progressive Conservative Party held a majority of seats in the Parliament. Party Leader Doug Ford has been the province's premier since 2018.
In that year's election, the Ontario Liberal Party would have a historically catastrophic result. Making way for the Ontario New Democratic Party to become the Official Opposition in the province for the first time. Following the 2022 edition, one of the three parties in question likely feels pretty good about itself.
And the other two, not so much.
Progressive Conservatives score a landslide victory.
The Progressive Conservatives have notched a resounding result in the 2022 Ontario Parliamentary election, surpassing the necessary seat total to form a majority by a significant margin.
It was a very different set of election results for the New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party. The NDP lost several seats, while the Liberals only gained one. As noted by the Toronto Star, both parties are now searching for new leadership in the province.
Longtime New Democratic Party Leader Andrea Howarth is stepping aside from the role following the loss. But she is expected to remain in Parliament. Howarth won re-election to her seat from the riding of Hamilton Centre.
The same cannot be said for Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca. Del Duca is leaving his post as party leader and did not win a seat in Parliament. He lost for the second time in the Toronto region riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge to Progressive Conservative Michael Tibollo. Previously, Del Duca held a Parliamentary seat from the now-defunct riding of Vaughan.
Only one other party successfully contested a seat in the 2022 election. That being the Green Party of Ontario. Party Leader Mike Schreiner won re-election from the riding of Guelph, also near Toronto.
Key issues in the election include the government's approach to COVID-19 and the Progressive Conservatives' proposed budget.
The latter would include constructing a new highway and many tax cuts.
Doug Ford to remain premier of Ontario
After leading his party to its second majority victory, Doug Ford is set to stay on as premier. In the past, Ford had presented himself as something populist. More recently, he's taken a more moderate tone, indicates The Globe and Mail. In addition to his roles as premier and party leader, he holds the title of minister of intergovernmental affairs. Ford represents the riding of Etobicoke North in Parliament. Previously, he was a member of the Toronto City Council.
Ford is a member of a prominent political family in Ontario. His father, Doug Ford Sr., was a member of the Provincial Parliament. Rob Ford, his brother, was mayor of Toronto and a member of the City Council. Their nephew, Michael Ford, is a member of the City Council and formerly served on the School Board.
