Doug Ford’s party won 16 more seats than it had at dissolution
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
It’s another four years of Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives in Ontario.
Premier Ford’s party picked up 83 out of 124 seats in the June 2 election, 20 more than the 63 required for a majority.
The 83 seats represent an increase of 16 from the 67 seats the PCs held when Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell dissolved the Ontario legislature in May.
It’s also an increase of seven from the party’s 76-seat majority it won in the 2018 election.
“Thank you for your trust and thank you for once again putting your confidence in me,” Ford said during his victory speech Thursday night. “It’s a responsibility I will never take lightly. But most importantly, thank you for sharing in the vision for our great province.”
All of Ford’s remaining cabinet ministers won their respective ridings.
This includes Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson.
She won her Huron-Bruce riding with 24,369 votes, good for 52 per cent of the voter share.
The NDP ag critic, John Vanthof, won his seat in Timiskaming-Cochrane.
Amanda Simard, the Liberal ag critic, lost in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell to Stéphane Sarrazin of the PCs.
Two ridings held by cabinet ministers who announced they wouldn’t be seeking re-election, stayed in PC control.
Newmarket-Aurora, previously held by Deputy Premier and Health Minister Christine Elliot, stayed blue as Dawn Gallagher Murphy won the seat for the PCs.
The Ajax riding, once held by minister of long-term care Rod Phillips, also remained with the PCs as Patrice Barnes won there.
Ontario’s ag community is ready to work with the returning government.
“We are excited to build on past relationships and create new ones with recently elected MPPs,” Peggy Brekveld, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said in a statement. "Ontario's agriculture story is exciting and growing, if you'll pardon the pun. Now is the best time to collaborate on a long-term strategic investment approach for rural Ontario to ensure our agri-food industry can continue to drive our economy forward.”
While there is stability with the returning governing party, two parties will be undergoing significant changes.
Andrea Horwath and the NDP won 31 seats, down nine from 2018.
During her concession speech, the Hamilton Centre MPP announced she would be stepping down as party leader.
Steven Del Duca and the Liberals won eight seats, up one from 2018.
Del Duca didn’t win in his riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge. That victory went to Michael Tibollo, the associate minister of mental health and addictions.
With only eight seats, the Liberals failed to achieve official party status.
A party needs 12 seats in Ontario to achieve the designation, which comes with funding and the right to ask questions in the legislature.
During his concession remarks, Del Duca revealed he’s stepping aside as leader of the Liberal party.
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner held onto his party’s only seat in Guelph.