Monday’s federal election marked a quiet but undeniable shift in votes coming from Ontario: a dramatic Conservative surge in ridings that have been traditionally Liberal and NDP seats.
Across the province, the Conservatives made significant gains, both in seat count and raw vote share, suggesting a reshaping of Ontario’s political map that may have lasting consequences.
In the heart of downtown Toronto — which historically is seen as an impenetrable Liberal and NDP stronghold — Conservative candidates surged to second place in five out of six key ridings. In some cases, they more than doubled their previous vote share, an unprecedented result in recent decades.