Doug Ford will be re-elected Ontario’s prime minister with a majority government, CTV News reports.
Polling stations closed across the province at 9pm on Thursday and shortly after CTV News announced the leader of the Progressive Conservatives as the winner of the 2022 election.
CTV News also declared the New Democratic Party of Ontario, led by Andrea Horvat, as the official opposition.
Both Ford and Horvat were re-elected in their own rides at Etobicoke North and Hamilton Center.
Ford has been the front-runner in the election for months, leading in almost every poll both in overall party support and in the best election for prime minister.
The 57-year-old first dived into provincial politics in 2018 after serving eight years as a city councilor in Toronto. In his first election, he overthrew Kathleen Winn, ending the 15-year rule of the Ontario Liberal Party in the province.
Despite his many years in public service, Ford tends to be even more prominent as a businessman and builder – someone who says yes to projects and promises to do so.
In 2018, he promised that under his leadership, Ontario would be “open to business” and that it would usher in an era of “economic growth and prosperity.”
This time, he focused on building new infrastructure such as Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, in addition to new hospitals and long-term care.
Ford’s success stems from its ability to present itself as accessible and understanding of the plight of the working class. His early promises were affordability – such as a discount on registration renewal fees that saved families about $ 120 a year and a six-month gas and fuel tax cut – promises to return the money to Ontario pockets.
He managed to win a number of high-ranking approvals from municipal and union leaders in the process.
The popularity granted to Ford has fluctuated significantly over the past four years. At the beginning of his first term, the PC leader made significant cuts in a number of ministries, including health and the environment.
But when the pandemic struck in March 2020, Ford was able to establish itself as a balanced leader, using daily press conferences as a means of informing the public and making numerous political announcements.
Ford acknowledged that the pandemic was one of his most difficult times as a politician; and while the Ontario Liberals and NDP have often criticized the RS for their decisions on raising mandates and tackling long-term care outbreaks, it doesn’t seem to have made such a big difference in terms of voter support.
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