Doug Ford has been re-elected Prime Minister of Ontario with a majority government, CTV News reports.
The polls closed across the province at 9pm on Thursday and shortly after CTV News declared the Conservative Progressive Leader the winner of the 2022 election.
CTV News has also declared the New Democratic Party of Ontario, led by Andrea Horwath, as the Official Opposition.
Both Ford and Horwath have been re-elected to their own constituencies in Etobicoke North and Hamilton Center.
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca, meanwhile, has lost his seat in Vaughan-Woodridge.
Ford has been the election favorite for months, leading almost every poll both in terms of general party support and the best option for the prime minister.
In 2018, the 57-year-old first entered provincial politics after serving eight years as city councilor in Toronto. In his first election he was able to oust Kathleen Wynne, ending the 15-year reign of the Ontario Liberal Party in the province.
Despite his many years of public service, Ford tends to stand out more as an entrepreneur and builder, someone who says “yes” to projects and promises to “get it”.
In 2018, he promised that under his leadership Ontario would be “open to business” and that it would mark the beginning of an era of “economic growth and prosperity.”
This time, it focused on building new infrastructure such as Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, as well as new hospitals and long-term care.
Ford’s success stems from its ability to present itself as accessible and understanding of the hardships of the working class. His first promises are about accessibility, such as lowering the tuition renewal fee, which saved families about $ 120 a year, and a six-month reduction in gasoline and fuel taxes. destined to return the money to the pockets of Ontarians.
He was able to gain a number of outstanding support from municipal and union leaders in the process.
Ford’s popularity has fluctuated greatly over the past four years. At the start of his first term, the PC leader made substantial cuts to several ministries, including health and the environment.
But when the pandemic hit in March 2020, Ford was able to establish itself as a balanced leader, using daily press conferences as a means to inform the public and make multiple policy announcements.
Ford has admitted that the pandemic was one of his most difficult times as a politician; and while the Liberals and the NDP in Ontario have often criticized PCs for their decisions about lifting mandates and managing long-term care outbreaks, it doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference in terms of support. of voters.
This is breaking news. More to come.