PC and NDP Hold Seats in Three Ontario Byelections

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives and the New Democratic Party maintained their hold on seats in three byelections held Thursday, as CityNews Toronto first reported.

In Hamilton East–Stoney Creek, Progressive Conservative Jeff Beattie won with nearly 39 per cent of the vote, defeating NDP candidate Monique Taylor, who received 33 per cent. Liberal Heino Doessing finished third with 23 per cent. In York–Simcoe, Conservative Susan Lahey secured the seat previously held by former Treasury Board president Caroline Mulroney, winning 49.8 per cent of the vote over Liberal Naomi Davison, who earned 38.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, the NDP's Fatima Shaban won the Scarborough Southwest race, which was a two-way contest between the NDP and Liberals, capturing more than 40 per cent of the vote. NDP Leader Marit Stiles claimed the results prove the NDP is the only party capable of defeating the conservatives.

Premier Ford attributed the wins to voters backing a government that will oppose tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to CityNews Toronto. Peter Graefe, a political science professor at McMaster University, told CityNews Toronto that trade tensions likely benefited Ford, particularly in Hamilton East–Stoney Creek due to steel tariffs, making it difficult for opposition parties to focus on provincial issues or government scandals. These scandals include the purchase and return of a nearly $29 million private jet and hotel expense controversies that led to the resignation of Tourism Minister Stan Cho.

Despite the wins, unofficial results from Elections Ontario show a voter turnout of just over 25 per cent across the three races. Graefe described the results as "nothing burgers."